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A technical guide for exporters of goods covered by the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM), specifically focusing on steel and aluminum, detailing cost calculations, emissions reporting, and the impact of domestic carbon pricing.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the market, policies, and investment opportunities for decarbonizing the cement and steel industries in Brazil. It identifies critical emission sources, evaluates emerging technologies like low-carbon hydrogen and carbon capture, and outlines the regulatory landscape, including the Brazilian Emissions Trading System (SBCE) and the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

This report by Ember examines how major global steelmakers—specifically ArcelorMittal, Nippon Steel, and POSCO—often omit fugitive methane emissions from coal mining in their Scope 3 emissions reporting. The analysis highlights that reliance on blast furnace technology and the sourcing of coal from high-methane mines in Australia significantly increase the actual climate impact of these companies' value chains, often by percentages that would materially alter their reported greenhouse gas footprints.

This report by RMI argues that the US steel industry faces a critical decision point regarding seven aging coal-based blast furnaces in the Great Lakes region. The author contends that investing hundreds of millions of dollars to 'reline' these furnaces to extend their life by 20 years risks creating stranded assets, perpetuating severe local pollution, and missing the transition to low-emissions steel. Instead, the report advocates for a transition to Hydrogen-Ready Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) coupled with Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) to ensure long-term competitiveness and align with climate goals.

This briefing by RMI argues for the establishment of a standardized near-zero emissions threshold for iron production to stimulate investment and trade in decarbonized steel. It proposes a threshold of 350 kgCO2e/t iron and suggests implementing a 'book and claim' market mechanism to connect corporate buyers with clean iron producers, overcoming the complexities of multi-tiered supply chains.

This research paper by Global Energy Monitor analyzes India's steel industry, arguing that its current strategy of expanding coal-based capacity before implementing decarbonization—a "build now, decarbonize later" approach—risks creating massive stranded assets and locking in high emissions. The document details the industry's heavy reliance on blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) and coal-based direct reduced iron (DRI) production, while evaluating the potential and limitations of green hydrogen, scrap-based production, and renewable energy integration to meet India's 2070 net-zero goal.

This report examines the economic challenges of transitioning China's energy-intensive steel industry to near-zero-carbon production and proposes policy, demand-side, and financial mechanisms to accelerate the deployment of low-carbon technologies.

This guide by RMI explains demand aggregation as a strategy to accelerate the decarbonization of heavy industry and transport. By consolidating fragmented demand into larger signals, buyers can reduce first-mover risk, achieve economies of scale, and provide the financial certainty needed for suppliers to invest in low-emissions infrastructure. The document details specific initiatives in aviation, maritime shipping, steel, and cement, highlighting the use of joint procurement and 'book and claim' mechanisms to bridge the 'green premium' gap.

This report assesses the potential for 'book and claim' mechanisms to drive the growth of near-zero product markets in the steel and concrete sectors, exploring how decoupling environmental attributes from physical products can overcome supply chain and accessibility barriers.

This input paper for the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, prepared by the India Initiative on Climate Risks and Sustainable Finance (led by Climate Bonds Initiative), examines the role of policymakers in mobilising private finance for the decarbonisation of the steel and cement sectors. It emphasizes the critical nature of the current decade for transition, particularly in emerging markets, and argues that credible corporate transition plans are essential for unlocking private capital through instruments like sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs). The report also highlights a significant gap in the integration of 'just transition' principles within corporate planning.

This report by RMI identifies policy concepts and areas intended to drive the decarbonization of the steel sector in the United States, emphasizing the critical nature of the next decade for primary steel production capabilities.

This briefing by Global Energy Monitor analyzes China's steel industry, focusing on the transition from emissions-intensive blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) production to lower-emissions electric arc furnace (EAF) technology. It evaluates the feasibility of China's 15% EAF production target for 2025 and the potential for a more ambitious 20% target, while identifying obstacles such as scrap distribution and energy stability.

This February 2024 briefing by Global Energy Monitor examines the Russian steel industry's continued reliance on coal-based blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) technology despite international pressure to decarbonize. The report highlights the potential for a transition to hydrogen-based direct reduced iron-electric arc furnace (DRI-EAF) production to meet EU carbon tariffs and corporate sustainability requirements, while noting that Russia currently prioritizes refurbishing old blast furnaces and pursuing unproven carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.

This policy brief from LeadIT, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, examines the role of international financial institutions (IFIs) in financing the decarbonization of heavy industry within emerging and developing economies, identifying current barriers and recommending the use of blended finance and concessional capital to scale breakthrough technologies.

This briefing by RMI analyzes the potential for transitioning the Great Lakes region's steel industry to near-zero-emissions production. It identifies a gap between aggressive federal incentives—such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—and the lack of coordinated, steel-specific industrial strategies at the state level. The report evaluates three primary decarbonization pathways: Blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) with carbon capture and storage (CCS), natural gas direct reduced iron (DRI) with CCS, and renewable hydrogen-based DRI, noting that hydrogen DRI offers the lowest emissions intensity and most competitive levelized costs when subsidies are included. It emphasizes the region's economic importance, as the Great Lakes house all of the US's integrated steel mills and two-thirds of the nation's steelworkers, while warning that failure to modernize could lead to a loss of competitiveness and jobs to other regions or international markets.

This case study describes a joint pilot project between RMI, SINAI Technologies, and ArcelorMittal to implement RMI's Steel Emissions Reporting Guidance using a dedicated software platform to improve carbon accounting and transparency in the steel sector.

This briefing by RMI argues that transparency in reporting the types of scrap used in metal production—specifically distinguishing between pre-consumer and post-consumer scrap—is essential for achieving 1.5°C climate-aligned decarbonization goals in the steel and aluminum sectors.

This policy brief argues that US 'Buy Clean' standards for steel must be flexible and based on recycled content reporting to avoid bankrupting primary steel producers. It suggests a sliding-scale emissions target to incentivize the transition toward green hydrogen and zero-carbon electricity without causing emissions leakage or industry bifurcation.

This report examines the role of international finance institutions (IFIs) in supporting the transition to low-carbon steel production, particularly in emerging and developing economies. It finds that IFIs have historically had limited exposure to the steel sector and are only in the early stages of developing green industrial strategies. However, the report argues that IFIs can accelerate the transition by de-risking first movers, supporting the development of green hydrogen and circular economy strategies, and creating demand for green steel through sustainable procurement in infrastructure projects.

The Financing Steel Decarbonization (FSD) instrument is a proposed mechanism designed to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon technologies (LCTs) in the steel sector, specifically targeting India. It combines a blended debt fund (SDF) to provide patient capital with a service company (SDI) that offers technical assistance and implementation support to de-risk projects.