In an address to the Global Cement and Concrete Association in Zurich on Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres laid out his vision for changes to the industry he says are “fundamental to building a better world.”

Speaking to executives assembled in a “call to action,” Guterres asked for “concrete pledges from the concrete industry” before laying out his trifold ambits to ban coal-fired power in cement production, induce governments and industry to accelerate decarbonization efforts, and the furtherment of loftier emissions reduction targets and other plans in line with UN policy guidelines.

Seconding the Secretary's vision, the CEO of the Global Cement and Concrete Association, Thomas Guillot, added: “We applaud all the action our members are taking to implement carbon-cutting measures, and the latest data shows emissions are coming down. But many challenges remain, which we must overcome, if we are to achieve net zero, including enabling polices and regulations from governments across the world, which often don’t yet exist.”

The organization had previously announced its own commitment to cut carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter by 2030. The “roadmap” plan put forth then called for a total of ten large carbon-capture plants to be constructed by Association members by 2030. Globally, 7% of all emissions can be attributed to cement and concrete of various types (a point Guterres emphasized) and is seen, along with coal, as a key factor in keeping global temperature rise under the 1.5°C threshold before 2030.

“The transparency and rigor inherent in that standard is critical. To put it simply: We need concrete pledges from the concrete industry. These will provide clarity and predictability to your shareholders, supply chains, and customers. Shady offsets or betting it all on undiscovered technologies won’t get us there. Real, deep emissions cuts are what matter,” Guterres closed by saying.

His full address to the association can be seen below.