India and China drive surge in global coal-based steel production
cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/8959169
> According to a Global Energy Monitor report, India is developing more than 60% of the world's new coal-based blast furnace capacity. Together with China, the two nations account for 86% of such planned projects globally.
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> Currently, 319 million tons per annum of this carbon-heavy capacity is either under construction or announced, despite the steel industry already contributing 11% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
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> Transitioning to cleaner methods remains slow. Only 34% of global steelmaking uses electric arc furnaces, and just 2% of direct reduced iron capacity uses green hydrogen.
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> Although 93% of India's upcoming ironmaking relies on coal-intensive methods, only 5% of that capacity has broken ground. This low start rate leaves room for intervention to promote lower-emission technologies before these long-term fossil fuel assets are finalized.
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> ...
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> “The outlook remains bleak for steel’s transition away from fossil fuels. The ball is in India and China’s court, as the two countries plan 86% of new coal-based capacity. Pivoting to lower-emissions technologies and using existing EAF capacity more effectively are two immediate steps the countries can take to have a profound effect on the direction of the steel industry," [says Astrid Grigsby-Schulte, Project Manager of the Global Iron and Steel Tracker at Global Energy Monitor](https://web.archive.org/web/20260513203706/https://globalenergymonitor.org/article/press-releases/global-steel-industry-doubles-down-coal-new-capacity-outpaces-retirements).
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> ...
> According to a Global Energy Monitor report, India is developing more than 60% of the world's new coal-based blast furnace capacity. Together with China, the two nations account for 86% of such planned projects globally.
>
> Currently, 319 million tons per annum of this carbon-heavy capacity is either under construction or announced, despite the steel industry already contributing 11% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
>
> Transitioning to cleaner methods remains slow. Only 34% of global steelmaking uses electric arc furnaces, and just 2% of direct reduced iron capacity uses green hydrogen.
>
> Although 93% of India's upcoming ironmaking relies on coal-intensive methods, only 5% of that capacity has broken ground. This low start rate leaves room for intervention to promote lower-emission technologies before these long-term fossil fuel assets are finalized.
>
> ...
>
> “The outlook remains bleak for steel’s transition away from fossil fuels. The ball is in India and China’s court, as the two countries plan 86% of new coal-based capacity. Pivoting to lower-emissions technologies and using existing EAF capacity more effectively are two immediate steps the countries can take to have a profound effect on the direction of the steel industry," [says Astrid Grigsby-Schulte, Project Manager of the Global Iron and Steel Tracker at Global Energy Monitor](https://web.archive.org/web/20260513203706/https://globalenergymonitor.org/article/press-releases/global-steel-industry-doubles-down-coal-new-capacity-outpaces-retirements).
>
> ...