Defining low-carbon emissions steel: A comparative analysis of international initiatives and standards

The steel industry is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for approximately 7% of worldwide emissions. As steelmakers in the EU invest heavily in decarbonisation, the success of these efforts hinges on the market’s ability to differentiate and reward low-carbon emissions steel production. In response, multiple initiatives and standards have emerged to define ""low-carbon emissions steel"" and set corresponding emissions thresholds. However, the lack of a unified definition and harmonised criteria presents significant challenges for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and investors alike. This report presents a comparative analysis of major international initiatives and standards, assessing their methodological approaches, system boundaries, and quantitative emissions thresholds. The findings reveal substantial inconsistencies in scope, system boundaries, and emissions accounting methodologies, which undermine comparability across frameworks, affecting market transparency and fair competition. Nonetheless, despite these divergences, the study identifies a trend toward long-term alignment, with most initiatives targeting similar emissions intensities by 2050.