The Steel Decarbonisation Scale

This joint briefing from ResponsibleSteel and the Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) outlines a practical approach for designing a fair and effective EU label for low-emission steel. The report highlights that while steel recycling rates are high, global scrap availability is fundamentally limited, meaning scrap cannot be treated as an unlimited decarbonisation lever.

The paper proposes a “steel decarbonisation scale” that accounts for both greenhouse gas emissions and the ratio of scrap to primary iron used in production. This prevents distortions caused by simply reallocating scarce scrap and instead rewards genuine process decarbonisation across all production routes. The approach aligns with IEA recommendations and has informed ResponsibleSteel’s own Decarbonisation Progress Levels.