ResponsibleSteel, CISA, and LESS agree on global low-emission steel standards

ResponsibleSteel, a non-profit organization that develops sustainability standards and an independent third-party certification program for the steel value chain, announced two landmark partnerships with the Chinese Association of Metallurgy (CISA) and the European Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. The agreements between the three organizations, which account for about 60 percent of global steel production, mark an important step towards internationally agreed carbon standards.

Unified structure for low-emission steel

The agreements link the ResponsibleSteel international production standard with the Chinese low-carbon steel assessment system C2F Steel Framework and the European LESS initiative. By harmonizing greenhouse gas measurement, reporting, and classification systems, the partnership establishes compatible definitions of low-emission steel that can be applied across regions.

This plan supports global trade in environmentally friendly steel by offering clearer comparability, increased transparency, and a consistent framework for procurement and investment decisions. Since steel accounts for between seven and nine percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the harmonized standards address a long-standing bottleneck in measuring decarbonization progress.

Approval of the variable scrap approach

The central element of the agreement is the joint approval of the variable scrap method, the approach to accounting recognized by the "Big Seven" and many international organizations. This method prevents competition for limited scrap supplies, encourages decarbonization on all steel production routes, encourages technologically neutral solutions in accordance with international trade rules, and helps reduce the creation of unnecessary barriers to trade.