Driving transparency, comparability and decarbonisation progress
The steel industry has a critical responsibility to reduce the GHG emissions associated with steelmaking. ResponsibleSteel provides the tools to support the industry and its stakeholders to do this, using a consistent, comparable method of measurement and a universal classification system of decarbonisation progress.
Here we showcase parts of the ResponsibleSteel International Production Standard V2.1.1 that may serve as useful references for instruments designed by policymakers, demand-side and finance initiatives.
Methodology on crude steel GHG emissions intensity at site-level
The ResponsibleSteel Methodology on crude steel GHG emissions intensity at site-level is a universally comparable, common methodology for calculating GHG emissions intensity of steel. This methodology has been designed so that users can compare, on a consistent basis, the embodied GHG emissions for every tonne of steel produced anywhere in the world, independent of the process technology and material or energy inputs.
The methodology draws on the Worldsteel CO2 Site Methodology, and corresponding ISO14404 series, with critical adjustments made, such as:
- Inclusion of all GHGs
- Full evaluation of all input materials in upstream scope 3
- Incentives for primary data utilisation
The first version of the methodology was published in 2022 in v2 of the International Production Standard.
Classification System for Decarbonisation Progress
ResponsibleSteel developed this emissions classification system over three years of multi-stakeholder membership consultation and rigorous analysis. The result is a globally applicable emissions intensity measurement tool that fairly assesses the progress of any steelmaking site towards near-zero emissions, irrespective of the product type(s), location of operation, or technology dependencies.
Using the critical data points: (i) the site-level crude steel GHG emissions intensity and (ii) the scrap percentage, determined according to the requirements set out by ResponsibleSteel, a steelmaking site can determine its Decarbonisation Progress Level . The classification ranges from Progress Level 1 (better than industry average) to Progress Level 4 (near-zero emissions).
The first version of the Progress Levels was published in 2022 in v2 of the International Production Standard, and the latest version was published in 2024 in v2.1.
