JOURNAL: A life cycle assessment study of UK decarbonised ammonia, cement, methanol and steel for emission insetting
Summary
Authors:
Jasmin Cooper
Adam Hawkes
Imperial College London
A life cycle assessment study of UK decarbonised ammonia, cement, methanol and steel for emission insetting
Sustainable Production and Consumption
June 2025
This paper examines how companies can reduce their carbon emissions by cutting pollution not just in their own operations, but also across their supply chains — a strategy known as “insetting”. Using case studies from building materials, fertilisers and textiles, this study applies life cycle analysis to assess the environmental impact of decarbonising key industrial supply chains such as cement, steel, ammonia and methanol. It finds that insetting can lead to meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, but may cause other environmental issues, such as resource overuse and pollution.