Just after the conclusion of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), a global industrial carbon reduction campaign was launched in Shanghai, China. On November 18, a total of 62 steel enterprises, universities and scientific research institutions from 15 countries gathered together to establish the Global Low-carbon Metallurgy Innovation Alliance under the initiative of China Baowu, the world's largest steel company.

According to a report released by Woodman Kenzie, the world's authoritative energy consulting agency, the steel industry currently accounts for 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions. If global warming is to be limited to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the global steel industry's carbon emissions would need to fall by 70% today. 

At the 2019 World Steel Association Congress in Monterrey, Mexico, China Baowu took the lead in proposing the establishment of a global low-carbon metallurgy innovation alliance, and the establishment of a low-carbon metallurgy innovation center and a low-carbon metallurgy innovation fund. The initiative received an immediate positive response from worldsteel and steel companies from around the world. 

Later, due to the impact of the epidemic, it was difficult for major steel companies around the world to gather again, but considering the urgency of carbon reduction, all parties chose to implement steel carbon reduction cooperation in Shanghai through representatives from China and video link.

"The world's major steel-producing countries have made commitments at the climate change conference, so the alliance initiated by China Baowu is very timely and necessary." World Steel Association (worldsteel) Director General Basson said that as the world's largest crude steel producer, China Baowu is willing to promote the realization of the "dual carbon" goal by launching an innovation alliance, which not only reflects the responsibility of the enterprise, but also reflects the innovation strength of the enterprise.

"It's a brilliant initiative." Sanjay, vice president and CEO of ArcelorMittal China, the world's second largest steel company, believes that the establishment of the Low Carbon Innovation Alliance can allow upstream, mid- and downstream enterprises in the global steel value chain to participate in carbon emission reduction. 

At the beginning of this year, China Baowu took the lead in the steel industry to release a carbon peak and carbon neutrality timetable. Yesterday, with the establishment of the alliance, China Baowu released a low-carbon metallurgy technology roadmap to the world, including six technical routes for extreme energy efficiency and carbon reduction of steel process, carbon reduction of reconstructed blast furnace process technology, carbon reduction of short-process near-final manufacturing technology, carbon reduction of circular economy and carbon dioxide resource utilization technology. 

In order to promote six technical routes, China Baowu has established a low-carbon metallurgy innovation center, one center and multiple test bases have taken shape, and 10 major scientific research projects. 

At present, many of the world's leading steel companies have begun to invest in the research and development of low-carbon metallurgical technology in different paths. Chen Derong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of China Baowu, said that the establishment of the Global Low-Carbon Metallurgy Innovation Alliance will build an open, equal, co-construction and sharing technology exchange platform for the steel industry.

Sanjay said that the establishment of the alliance is equivalent to a "catalyst" to the global steel industry's carbon reduction work. With the alliance, the best carbon reduction technologies can be quickly promoted and implemented throughout the industry chain. ” 

"With the efforts of all parties in the world, the technical roadmap for the steel industry to achieve the goal of 'dual carbon' has been quite rich. I believe that with the efforts led by China Baowu, the global steel industry will definitely achieve its commitments by 2050. Basson said.