Net Zero: Decarbonising Steel by 2050

This policy brief examines the necessity and feasibility of decarbonising the global steel sector by 2050 to align with climate goals, noting that while the industry is a major emitter, technological advances make net zero achievable with appropriate policy and investment.

• Steel production is a significant source of global emissions, accounting for 7% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 10% of CO2 emissions in 2018. The primary cause is primary steel production's reliance on metallurgical coal in blast furnaces.
• Global crude steel production capacity has more than doubled over the last twenty years, with current production at 1,950 Mt and a potential increase of one third by 2050. Without significant industry shifts, steelmaking could emit an additional 90 Gt of CO2 by 2050, representing nearly 20% of the remaining global CO2 budget for a 50% chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
• Although previously viewed as a "hard-to-abate" sector due to equipment longevity and a lack of alternatives, current analyses indicate the steel sector can be almost completely decarbonised by 2050 through correct investments and policies. The International Energy Agency (IEA) 1.5°C scenario requires emissions to decrease by 24% by 2030 and nearly 91% by 2050.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2021). Net Zero: Decarbonising Steel by 2050. https://www.sei.org/publications/net-zero-decarbonising-steel-by-2050/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Net Zero: Decarbonising Steel by 2050. 2021. https://www.sei.org/publications/net-zero-decarbonising-steel-by-2050/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Net Zero: Decarbonising Steel by 2050 |date=4 November 2021 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/net-zero-decarbonising-steel-by-2050/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2021net, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Net Zero: Decarbonising Steel by 2050}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/net-zero-decarbonising-steel-by-2050/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }