Independently verified results demonstrate measurable progress toward steel decarbonisation through a technology-neutral, science-based approach

The Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC) today announced that nine steel producer members certified under the Steel Climate Standard [1] avoided more than 32.5 million tonnes of CO₂e emissions between 2023 and 2025, demonstrating significant, measurable progress toward decarbonising one of the world’s most emissions-intensive industries.

The impact reflects reductions in emissions intensity, calculated using the Steel Climate Standard methodology and applied to actual steel production by certified companies. In 2023, the aggregate calculation included the four steel producers certified at the time; for 2024 and 2025, it included all nine certified producers. *1

As certification expanded and producers continued to lower their emissions intensity, the aggregate annual impact grew significantly. The four original certified companies avoided approximately 2.3 million tonnes of CO₂e emissions from 2023 to 2024. Across all nine certified companies, approximately 10.8 million tonnes were avoided from 2024 to 2025.

The cumulative 32.5 million tonnes of avoided emissions is equivalent to removing approximately 6.9 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road for one year.

The results demonstrate that meaningful emissions reductions do not depend on a single technology or production route. GSCC certified producers operate in different markets and under different conditions and have pursued emissions reductions through strategies including increased scrap use, greater use of renewable energy and improvements in production efficiency. Read today’s Op-Ed, Steel Decarbonization Is No Longer Optional  [2]

“More than 32.5 million tonnes of avoided emissions are evidence that measurable progress is happening today. What is equally important is how our members are achieving it. They are not following a single prescribed technology pathway. They are making investments and operational decisions appropriate for their facilities while being held to the same rigorous requirements for emissions measurement, verification and long-term reductions.”

Adina Renee Adler, Executive Director, GSCC

Steel producers globally face significantly different starting points for decarbonisation. Access to scrap and clean energy, existing production assets, infrastructure, capital availability and regional policy environments can all affect the technologies and strategies available to individual producers.

The Steel Climate Standard recognises those differences while establishing a common expectation for emissions performance. The technology-neutral framework measures actual emissions rather than favouring a particular production route, allowing producers to pursue the solutions best suited to their operations while requiring certified companies to demonstrate progress against a science-based emissions trajectory toward net zero.

“Technology neutrality does not lower the bar for decarbonization,” Adler continued. “It sets the bar based on emissions performance. As carbon intensity increasingly influences trade, procurement and investment decisions, the ability to demonstrate real reductions through transparent, independently verified data will only become more important.”

Adopted in August 2023, the Steel Climate Standard provides a globally applicable framework for measuring and reporting steel greenhouse gas emissions, establishing science-based emissions reduction targets, and certifying the emissions intensity of steel products. The Standard is designed to enable consistent comparison of emissions performance across steel production methods while supporting the Paris Agreement’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

About the Global Steel Climate Council

The Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing a technology-neutral, globally applicable standard for reducing steel emissions. By certifying science-based targets, promoting transparent emissions accounting, and encouraging investment in low-emission technologies, GSCC empowers steel producers and consumers to achieve their decarbonization goals. Members include steel manufacturers, associations, and organizations across the entire steel value chain, with a presence in more than 80 countries worldwide.

For more information, please visit GlobalSteelClimateCouncil.org [3].