Steel-making Emits Nearly as Much as Carbon Dioxide as the EU
The use of coal coupled with the need for such high heat give steel a monster carbon footprint. A report put together earlier this year by Global Energy Monitor, a collective of journalists and climate advocates, found that 552 steel plants around the world account for 9% of all global carbon emissions. Those plants are responsible for 82% of all steel production, so the total is likely even higher.
It’s a staggering tally to consider. If the steel industry were a country, its emissions would slot in just a hair below the EU and well above India, good for the fourth-largest emitter on Earth. In China, the world’s largest emitter, the steel industry is responsible for 17% of its total emissions.
