The steel sector, as well as the world, have been given the challenge that emissions from steel production must be reduced to net zero by 2050. However Matthew-Wenban Smith at Chatham House’s Sustainability Accelerator argues that there very well may be a better benchmark mechanism for the sector.

Author: Matthew-Wenban Smith, 2021

CarbonCopy focuses on the topic of energy consumption through the telling of a tale in their piece "What Tata Steel's attempts to decarbonise tell us". It follows two steel companies and what their contradictory approaches articulate to us about India’s response to the renewables revolution. Ultimately it raises the question of, “are India’s manufacturing value chains ready for the energy transition?”

Author: CarbonCopy, 2021

In order to achieve the 1.5°C pathway, all sectors must keep in line and there can be no outliers - the steel sector is no exception to this. Steel decarbonisation has to occur rapidly, including a combined effort from national and international levels to underpin the shift in policy and the sector as a whole. Written by E3G in partnership with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, "1.5C Steel: decarbonising the steel sector in Paris-compatible pathways" examines those challenges at global and regional levels, by unpacking the implications for the steel decarbonisation transformation pathway.

Author: E3G & Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2021

How do we actually achieve net-zero across these different sectors? The Stockholm Environment Institute collaborates with sustainability experts to decipher exactly what is required from these sectors to reach the net zero transitions. They also dive into the idea of “active engagement”, explaining the importance of such interactions from investors and what they need to know to have economic impact on these high-emitting sectors.

Author: Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021

Most of steel is currently produced in blast furnaces and if it weren't for this technology, steel mass production would never have been possible in the first place. However, if we face 10 more years of inaction, steel consumes 12% of the remaining 1.5°C carbon budget. "Phasing out the blast furnace to meet global climate targets" paper identifies that there is a greater opportunity to reduce emissions than first noted. It all comes down to equipment-level analyses that are conducted and ensuring that reinvestments aren’t supporting coal-based blast furnaces. This opportunity and approach can also be applied to other industries that prove to be emission-intensive.

Author: Valentin Vogl, Olle Olsson & Björn Nykvist, 2021

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released a special report that identifies to policy makers the cruciality of what needs to be done for the global energy sector to reach the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. It is clear that with the energy sector being the core source of greenhouse gas emissions, that all governments need to strengthen together and implement policies that support this transition.

Author: IEA, 2021

Are European steel companies ready for the climate transition? Industry Tracker set out to answer this through its report "Steeling for net zero". By focusing on 10 of the largest primary steel producing companies in Europe, they have provided an in-depth assessment on just how well positioned each are to initiate transition plans to net-zero. Check out the report to know the final ranking of each company!

Author: Industry Tracker, 2021

“What climate impacts does burning coking coal have? What are the social and ecological impacts of mining coal? How can we decarbonise the steel sector?” These and other key questions guide Coal Action Network UK report "Coal in Steel: Problems and solutions". Their report is directed at those on the search for the basics about proposed new coal mines, and why there needs to be campaigns against them.

Author: Coal Action Network, 2021

This report, part of the China Energy and Climate Program at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, assesses how China’s high-emitting industries have responded to the 30-60 targets and the accompanying elevation of climate within national policy priorities. It focuses on corporate and sectoral emissions reduction targets through June 2021 among 30 major firms in three of China’s largest sources of direct emissions: coal power generation, cement, and steel.

Author: Edmund Downie, 2021

Investors are a key contributing factor to the decarbonisation of the steel sector. This report provides investors with the critical details of how they can help with. this transition in the sector. The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) report discusses the steel sector itself, the decarbonisation journey ahead, and what is required to overcome the perceived obstacles to reach net zero by 2050.

Author: Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC), 2021

With 2030 approaching, all investments in the steel sector must align with the net-zero goal. This means that investors should be making these decisions now due to lifespan of steel assets. Material Economics' provides investors with recommendations on how to become involved in the commercialisation of low-CO₂ steel technologies.

Author: Material Economics, 2021

Fostering the industry transition through green public procurement is easier said than done. In this paper, Fostering industry transition through green public procurement: A how to guide in the cement & steel sectors, produced by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), it presents a “how-to guide” for the cement and steel sectors. This guide includes a breakdown of the elements of green public procurement policy design, and the methodologies required for target setting.

Author: United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) & Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), 2021

" Net-zero steel is possible, but it means that by the end of this decade all new & retrofit facilities globally must be clean." Global Energy Monitor & IDDRI have produced 3 resources that cover all bases in this transition journey.

Author: Global Energy Monitor & IDDRI, 2021

Green hydrogen has been identified as a solution for the decarbonisation challenge for steel sector - but what does this actually mean? McKinsey & Company's report provides the definitive explanation to this question, helping to provide clarity around these topics.

Author: McKinsey & Company, 2020

CDP's report is aimed to equip investors with all relevant climate change data in relation to the steel market. It is packed with a summary of key findings and a 'league table' presenting content on each company. This resource is only an executive summary, the full report is only available to CDP investor signatories.

Author: CDP, 2019