Climate change and the UK steel industry

This short article summarises both the role that the steel industry can play in helping to reverse climate change and the risks to the industry's competitiveness from misguided policy initiatives.

November 2009

"The European steel industry is investing in research ........aimed at reducing its CO ₂ emissions by 50% by 2050 compared with today’s best processes."

"There is no question that steel will continue to be needed and produced in ever increasing quantities. The only question is where it will be produced."

The "threat [to the future of steelmaking in Europe] comes less from the ambition of whatever targets may get agreed in Copenhagen, than from the means used to achieve those targets."

"Steel has a tremendous role to play in reversing climate change. Whether UK and European companies are allowed to contribute to this is in the hands of our legislators. "

(A shorter version of this article appeared in the November 2009 edition of Westminster Steel Briefing.)