Low-carbon coalition publishes a global standard to measure and report carbon emissions
- The coalition is expected to receive feedback on its proposed protocol on the creation of a single low-carbon steel standard (The Steel Climate Standard).
- CELSA Group, the first producer of circular and low-emission steel in Europe and founding member of the GSCC, has already launched a pioneering protocol in Europe for the certification and traceability of steel produced in a circular and sustainable way.
Barcelona, April 26, 2023.- The Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC) today released a draft of The Steel Climate Standard, a global standard to measure and report steel carbon emissions. The standard focuses on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the global steel industry with a science-based glidepath to reduce emissions in line with the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement to achieve a 1.5º C scenario. The standard offers a single, technology-agnostic protocol that would apply to all steel producers equally on a global basis and would enable steel customers to know and compare the actual carbon emissions associated with steel products.
In publishing its standard, the GSCC is inviting interested organizations to review The Steel Climate Standard and submit comments, which are due by May 17, 2023. The full text of the document and guidelines on submitting comments can be found at: : https://globalsteelclimatecouncil.org.
“Steel will also contribute to the transition to a greener economy with the production of electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar arrays and other clean technology products. The GSCC standard offers a clear future for steel in a decarbonized economy and aims to achieve the lowest overall emissions from the sector by 2050,” said Franc Cardona, Head of Public Affairs, CELSA Group and GSCC Board member.
“Steel companies and associations from around the world have come together to develop a standard that will enable our industry to reduce carbon emissions and encourage investments in lower emission technology as part of the global effort to decarbonize,” said Greg Murphy, Executive Vice President, Nucor Corporation, and Chair of the GSCC.
“Steel is integral to the functioning of global economies, including clean energy infrastructure. The Steel Climate Standard is a simple and understandable benchmark for reducing our industry greenhouse gas emissions and provides a transparent means for decision makers to make informed decisions,” said Jeff Hansen, Vice President Environmental Sustainability, Steel Dynamics, and GSCC Board Member.
Producción circular y de bajas emisiones única en España y puntera en Europa
El tren de perfiles estructurales ha sido recientemente ampliado para producir vigas del tipo H600, una de las más grandes del mercado. Este material permite realizar estructuras de gran longitud para grandes naves industriales y obra civil de grandes dimensiones como puentes y vías elevadas. CELSA Group incrementa su competitividad con esta instalación y reafirma su liderazgo en producción de acero de bajas emisiones con la apertura de nuevos mercados en España y en el resto de Europa. Hasta ahora este tipo de perfiles de gran longitudno se fabricaban en España y debían importarse.
Además, el modelo de producción sostenible y de bajas emisiones de CELSA Group, que fabrica acero a partir de chatarra férrica en hornos eléctricos, permite la producción de forma puntera de estos perfiles en Europa, ya que reduce las emisiones de CO2, frente a los sistemas tradicionales de producción de acero producido en altos hornos que utilizan el carbón como fuente de energía y utilizan mineral de hierro como materia prima.
“Con la finalización de nuestro nuevo tren de perfiles estructurales, CELSA Group proveerá a la industria europea de vigas de gran longitud de acero de bajas emisiones que nuestros clientes requieren para reducir su huella de carbono, ha explicado el CEO de la compañía, Francesc Rubiralta, quien ha remarcado que “esto es posible gracias a la compra de el acero sostenible, reciclable, circular y duradero de CELSA Group”.
El presidente de la Generalitat, Pere Aragonès i Garcia, ha asegurado esta tarde que “en el Gobierno estamos plenamente comprometidos con todo el sector industrial de nuestro país” y, por este motivo, “nos hemos propuesto fortalecer y ampliar el peso industrial de la economía del país, e incentivar la reindustrialización de Cataluña para convertirse en una de las economías más industriales de Europa”.
La inversión realizada por CELSA Group en el tren de perfiles estructurales y del que hoy se ha inaugurado el sistema de enfriamiento que lo completa, ha sido de 35 millones de euros y ha contado con financiación del Ministerio de Industria.
A standard to avoid Greenwashing
GSCC is one of several groups and companies advocating for a global standard. Some in the United States and Europe are promoting a standard that features a “ferrous scrap usage sliding scale” – one standard for steel made from traditional production processes and another for steel made from circular processes.
“Creating a dual standard would allow high-carbon emissions steel to be prioritized over lower-carbon steel. This is a form of greenwashing and serves to discourage innovation and allows high-carbon steelmakers to postpone making changes in their production process,” said Phil Bell, President, Steel Manufacturers Association.
GSCC’s proposed standard is comprised of two main components: (1) product certification criteria that allows customers to know if the steel they are buying is on the glidepath to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement; and (2) a corporate-wide, science-based target-setting framework based on a 1.5-degree glidepath. The
GSCC standard would measure all key GHG pollutants from Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Producers would have to report independent verification of their emissions and reduction targets. The GSCC standard’s product intensity goals for the steel industry are based on the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) carbon budget for the iron and steel sector, which is aligned with the 1.5°C scenario for net zero emissions by 2050.
CELSA Group, the first producer of circular and low-emission steel in Europe and the only European member of the GSCC, has already launched a pioneering program in Europe to offer the certification and traceability of steel to its customers.
About Global Steel Climate Council
GSCC is a non-profit organization created to lead an effort to reduce steel carbon emissions and encourage investments in lower emission technology as part of the global effort to decarbonize economies and societies. GSCC members are steel manufacturers, associations and other organizations in the steel supply chain that have a presence in 79 countries around the world.
About CELSA Group
CELSA Group is the first European producer of low-emission circular steel with the largest circular supply chain in Europe. It recycles ferrous scrap to produce steel in electric arc furnaces, using the most sustainable and energy-efficient technology.
The company is made up of 6 business groups and has 120 work centers, 7 steel mills, 12 rolling mills and 45 recycling plants, as well as transformation and distribution companies, which generate direct, indirect, and induced employment for more than 70,000 professionals. It is present in Spain, France, United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland, Italy, and Ireland.
The group works to solve the greatest systemic risks on the planet: the depletion of resources and the fight against climate change. To this end, it has set itself the objectives of reducing itsCO2 emissions by 50% and reaching 98% circularity by 2030 and completing its circularity and being a Net Positive company in 2050.
More information:
Laura Sabaté
Tel. +34 616 95 20 66
l.sabate@romanrm.com
