Global steelmakers, the World Steel Association (WSA) and ResponsibleSteel have produced a set of recommendations for adopting science-based targets for the industry's road to net-zero emissions.
A report, titled The Net-Zero Steel Pathway Methodology Project: Final Report and Recommendations (NZSPMP), sets out a framework for developing robust guidance "for those in the sector who wish to make a realistic and credible commitment to the Paris Agreement, with a net-zero or ‘science-based target'," ResponsibleSteel said this week.
ResponsibleSteel is a not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder standard and certification initiative. Fifteen of the world's largest steelmakers, including ArcelorMittal, GFG Alliance, Tata Steel and BlueScope Steel, contributed to the report that lists seven key recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
"The NZSPMP came together because we saw the value in defining some clear principles for how to measure that contribution that takes into account the fundamental dynamics of the steelmaking process. This includes defining a clear boundary for steel-related emissions; appreciating that primary steelmaking cannot simply be replaced by secondary steelmaking," said Brad Davey, executive vice-president of ArcelorMittal.
"To decarbonise the steel industry, we have to decarbonise the primary industry — that is really what will drive the path to net zero as there is not enough scrap available to move to a truly scrap-based industry for at least this century," he added.
"Our climate change strategy and decarbonisation pathway to net zero will be based on optimising existing processes to deliver emissions reductions and building optionality around emerging technologies, where feasible," said Gretta Stephens, BlueScope's chief executive of climate change.
"Sustainability is at the heart of our strategy and steel is at the heart of global sustainability. This is why we have set ourselves a target to reduce our steelmaking emissions in Europe by 30-40pc by 2030," said Annemarie Manger, sustainability director at Tata Steel Europe. "To do this we will need to make significant investments to decarbonise our assets in the coming years, so we are preparing various decarbonisation options including hydrogen-based steel production technology and, especially in support of more rapid decarbonisation, carbon capture, storage or utilization."
Besides steelmakers, major iron ore producers have all set targets to become carbon neutral over the next decade and later. Efforts towards achieving net-zero emissions are also being made in China, where steel mills like Hebei Iron and Steel are investigating a number of approaches to lower carbon emissions.
