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The Steel Climate Standard

Framework for Steel Product Certification and Corporate Science-Based Emissions Targets

Download our Draft of the Global Standard and Submit a Comment.
SUBMIT COMMENTSComments due by June 30, 2023
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The Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC) is an international coalition of steel producers and stakeholders committed to achieving a 1.5 degree scenario by the year 2050 and establishing a global steel standard that leads toward a cleaner future.

Accelerate Progress to Reduce Emissions

We have the technology to cut steel emissions by 70% today. The GSCC is leading the way to make this the standard for all steel.

Historically, steelmakers have produced steel using an extractive, blast furnace process from mined coal and iron ore. In the steel industry, this is referred to as an “integrated process.” However, in recent decades, hundreds of steelmakers have invested in Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) technology, a circular process that uses recycled steel as the primary input and produces significantly lower carbon emissions.

Steel industry stakeholders and global policy makers are currently considering a dual standard for emissions—one standard for steel made from extractive production processes and another for steel made from circular processes. This is a mistake. Having a dual standard that rewards high-emission steelmakers, harms the environment and disincentivizes steelmakers from changing their production process. We already have the technology to reduce carbon emissions, now our mission is to lead the way toward a truly effective low-emission steel standard that accurately counts carbon emissions – not production methods.

5 Key Principles

The primary focus of the GSCC is to establish a standard, focusing on the following guiding principles:

  • Reducing GHG emissions from the global steel industry.
  • Establishing a standard that is technology/production method agnostic.
  • Establishing a standard that has a system boundary that includes Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
  • Establishing a standard that aligns with a science-based glide path to achieve a 1.5 degree scenario by the year 2050.
  • Providing relevant information on sustainable steelmaking to appropriate decision makers.

The Issue

What's at stake for the steel industry and global carbon emissions

The world needs steel. Steel is an essential engineering material for the global economy. It is a critical material used to manufacture our vehicles, build our infrastructure, construct our buildings and factories, produce our energy and much more. Steel is also driving the transition to a greener economy with the production of electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar arrays and other clean tech products.

The world needs to lower emissions. The GSCC is leading the charge to reduce carbon emissions and encourage investments in lower emission technology as part of the global effort to decarbonize economies and societies. An October 2022 report by the United Nations shows that countries are not on track to limit carbon emissions to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Steel producers around the world are at different stages in their efforts to reduce emissions and achieve sustainable production. EAF producers are leading the way – this process emits 78% fewer carbon emissions than integrated steel manufacturers.

We already have the technology. Steelmakers have become more efficient and producing a ton of steel today requires only 40% of the energy it did in 1960. Because the United States has converted more quickly than other competitors, the U.S. steel industry is 37% less carbon intensive today than the European industry. This means that the technologies already exist to cut global emissions by over 70%. And new technologies are on the horizon that will reduce emissions even further.

We have the technology to cut emissions by over 70% today. So why aren’t we?

We need a global standard. Numerous groups and companies – including the GSCC – are advocating for a global standard to measure and report steel carbon emissions. However, some in the U.S. and European Union are advocating for a standard that features a “sliding scale” for measuring carbon emissions. This would result in a dual standard for emissions — one standard for steel made from extractive production processes and another for steel made from circular processes. This is a mistake.

Having a dual standard that rewards high-emission steelmakers, harms the environment and disincentivizes steelmakers from changing their production process. It would permit higher-emitting integrated steel producers to classify their steel products as “green” even if they are produced with significantly higher carbon emissions than those using the EAF process. The GSCC’s mission is to lead the way toward a truly effective low-emission steel standard that accurately counts carbon emissions – not production methods.

The U.S.-EU negotiations should not create a double standard and a slippery slope toward a dirtier environment. We can do better.

We must avoid greenwashing. Creating a dual standard allows high-emissions integrated processes to be labeled as “green” and prioritized at the expense of cleaner EAF processes is a form of greenwashing. This will discourage innovation and disincentivize high-carbon steelmakers from making changes in their production process. A truly effective green-steel standard must be one in which actual, attained carbon emissions are measured, and the standard must apply equally to all producers on a global basis.

99% of steel co-products can be repurposed for other use, recycled to reclaim materials within them or recycled as energy sources.

We can accomplish this. The standard must lead to everyone in the global steel industry working to reduce carbon emissions. This can be achieved by creating a science-based emissions standard based on actual emissions that would apply to all producers equally on a global basis. Without this, higher emission processes are incentivized to remain the same, delaying efficiencies and the carbon footprint. Establishing a standard should incentivize actions that will generate the largest decrease in carbon emissions, such as greening the electric grid to make EAF production even more carbon-efficient, and developing advanced reduced iron (DRI) and carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS) technologies.

More than 90% of the water used in American EAF steel mills is processed, cleaned and returned to the environment.

A New Coalition of Steel Producers

All of our member companies at the GSCC are committed to enhancing steel production with a safer, cleaner, emission-reducing process.

Founding Members

CELSA Group

CELSA Group is Europe's leading producer of low-emission, circular steel and the #1 circular supply chain. It recycles scrap to produce steel in electric arc furnaces, and uses the most environmentally sustainable and energy efficient technology. LEARN MORE

Commercial Metals Company

CMC is a global metals and construction solutions company committed to delivering industry-leading customer service, providing an environment where our employees can succeed, improving our communities and creating value for our investors. LEARN MORE

Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI)

ISRI is the Voice of the Recycling Industry™, promoting safe, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible recycling through networking, advocacy, and education. LEARN MORE

Nucor Corporation

Nucor is North America’s largest & most diversified steel and steel products company forged around a vision for leading the industry by providing unparalleled customer care, building trusted partnerships, and producing sustainable products. LEARN MORE

Steel Dynamics, Inc.

Steel Dynamics is one of the largest and most diversified steel producers and metal recyclers in the United States. The company operates using a circular manufacturing model, driven by the passion and dedication of its innovative teams. LEARN MORE

Steel Manufacturers Association

The Steel Manufacturers Association is the largest steel association in America. They are stewards for safety and sustainability by representing the electric arc furnace (EAF) steel industry, which accounts for 70% of domestic steel made today. LEARN MORE

Members & Supporters

Alfa Acciai Group

The Alfa Acciai Group is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of reinforcing steel and wire rod. Headquartered in Brescia, Italy, it produces around 2.5 million tonnes of steel and long products annually and has over 1,150 employees. LEARN MORE

Alton Steel

Alton Steel operates a 200-ton electric arc furnace and a 14" bar mill. They have the capacity to melt 750,000 tons of steel in the melt shop per year and to roll 400,000 tons of steel bars in a 14" rolling mill. LEARN MORE

Arkansas Steel

ASA is a provider of products to a number of businesses and is the leading producer of railroad tie plates in North America. The company is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Certified. LEARN MORE

Arvedi Group

The Arvedi Group is one of Europe’s most significant steelmaking realities, operating in the production of hot-rolled pickled, galvanized and pre-painted coils, carbon and stainless steel tubes and stainless steel precision-rolled strip. LEARN MORE

Beltrame

Operating in the steel sector for over a century, the AFV Beltrame Group manufactures rolled sections for construction, shipbuilding and excavation. LEARN MORE

Bureau of International Recycling (BIR)

BIR is the only global recycling industry federation and a world leader in the supply of raw materials and a key pillar for sustainable economic development, representing more than 30,000 companies around the globe. LEARN MORE

Cascade Steel

For over 50 years, Cascade Steel Rolling Mills has been providing the Western U.S. and Canada with high quality steel products produced from recycled scrap metal at our state-of-the-art electric arc furnace steel mill. LEARN MORE

CARI-ACIR

Founded in 1941 when the Canadian government sought high-quality scrap metal to support the war effort, CARI has evolved into a powerful industry with a membership ranging from family-owned scrap yards to huge capital-intensive processing plants. LEARN MORE

Charter Manufacturing

Charter Manufacturing Company, Inc. is a privately held family of market-leading metals manufacturing businesses. They focus on customer intimacy, employee engagement and continuous improvement to drive competitive advantage. LEARN MORE

CRSI

CRSI is the technical expert, resource, and advocate for North America's reinforcing steel industry. Its mission is to maximize the practical use of steel reinforcing in concrete construction. LEARN MORE

DEACERO

DEACERO is Mexico's leading producer of long steel and reinforcing steel, and the country's largest recycler. With more than 17 plants and over 7,500 distributors, it is a world leader in rod and wire production. LEARN MORE

Evraz North America

EVRAZ North America is a leading producer of engineered steel products for rail, energy and industrial end markets with deep American roots and a long legacy of operational success in the United States and Canada. LEARN MORE

ECGA

ECGA is the voice of EU carbon and graphite producers, including a wide variety of specialty graphite and carbon products for applications ranging from electric motors to modern battery technology. LEARN MORE

EMR Group

EMR plays a pivotal role in the provision of sustainable materials globally. Having grown from a single site in Rochdale, UK to become one of the world’s largest metal recycling companies, EMR is committed to providing a reliable, personal service. LEARN MORE

EuRIC

EuRIC represents European recycling industries at EU level. It brings together national recycling and resource management federations and companies from more than 23 countries. LEARN MORE

Feralpi Group

This Group is a major steel manufacturer in Europe, producing steel for over half a century and providing innovative and sustainable solutions to global supply chains with passion, pride and respect for tradition. LEARN MORE

ICDAS

ICDAS is among Turkiye’s leading producers of long steel products, producing 5 million tons per year in steel billets, construction steel, wire rod, and PC Wire and PC Strand. LEARN MORE

Liberty Steel USA

LIBERTY serves both regional markets in the Mid-West and South East as well as customers nationwide in the construction, infrastructure products, transportation, agricultural, automotive and machinery manufacturing sectors. LEARN MORE

Marienhütte

As Austria's sole manufacturer of reinforcing steel, Marienhütte is responsible for reliably supplying the Austrian construction industry with high-quality reinforcing steel. LEARN MORE

MEGASA

The MEGASA GROUP is a family-run business specialized in the production and distribution of long steel products. LEARN MORE

Optimus Steel

Optimus Steel produces a wide range of high-quality wire rods, coiled rebar, and billets. This mill has been recognized with awards for safety, community service, outstanding engineering, environmental improvement, and quality management. LEARN MORE

Ovako

Ovako is a leading European manufacturer of engineering steel for customers e.g. in the bearing, transportation and manufacturing industries. LEARN MORE

Pittini

The Pittini Group is a steel producer with a strong international orientation that focuses its production processes on electric furnaces. They produce more than 3 million tons of steel annually. LEARN MORE

Riva

Riva Group is specialized in the production of long products and quality steels – an area in which it has established strong International leadership with over 60 years of experience. LEARN MORE

Siam Yamato Steel Company (SYS)

Siam Yamato Steel Co. (SYS) was established in 1992 as a joint venture between five Thai and Japanese manufacturing firms. SYS currently has 2 hot-rolled structural steel mills producing 1.1 million tons annually. It is based in Bangkok, Thailand. LEARN MORE

Siderúrgica Balboa

Siderúrgica Balboa is a manufacturer/producer that operates in the iron, special grade and pig iron industry. It is one of seven companies that form the Steel Division of CL Grupo Industrial. They are headquartered in Jerez De Los Caballeros, Spain. LEARN MORE

Reibus

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Reibus was founded in 2018 as the only independent and anonymous, SaaS-enabled marketplace, utilizing advanced technology and deep industry knowledge to revolutionize supply chain efficiency. LEARN MORE

Sterling Steel (Leggett & Platt)

The Leggett & Platt Wire Group brings together Drawn Wire, and International Wire groups to supply high-quality wire and wire products to customers across the globe. LEARN MORE

Tenaris

As a leading manufacturer of pipes and related services for the world's energy industry, Tenaris’ manufacturing system integrates steelmaking, pipe rolling and forming, heat treatment, threading and finishing across 16 countries. LEARN MORE

Tokyo Steel

Tokyo Steel manufactures low-carbon-footprint steel products using steel scrap as the main raw material. Being at the forefront of resource recycling, Tokyo Steel is committed to working seriously on measures to combat climate change. LEARN MORE

Vallourec Star USA

With 2,300 people in 20 manufacturing facilities and service operations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, Vallourec North America primarily serves the local offshore and onshore oil & gas market. LEARN MORE

Yamato Kogyo Group

Yamato Kogyo Group is a global company with integrated systems for the manufacturing and sale of steel products, shipbuilding products, and trackwork materials. It is headquartered in Himeji, Japan, with business expanding around the world. LEARN MORE

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