India’s steel sector, responsible for 12% of the nation’s global emissions, faces significant challenges in its journey toward decarbonization, according to Neha Verma, Director at the Ministry of Steel. Verma revealed that India emits 2.54 tons of CO2 per ton of crude steel, exceeding the global average of 1.91 tons.

Despite being a key industry heavily reliant on coal, steel production is poised for rapid growth, with output expected to rise from 170 million tons to 300 million tons by 2030. Verma emphasized that the expansion will be pursued sustainably, guided by the Ministry’s roadmap to reduce emission intensity to 2.2 tons of CO2 per ton of steel by 2030.

In the short term, energy efficiency improvements and greater reliance on renewable energy could reduce emissions by up to 12%. Long-term solutions, including green hydrogen and carbon capture, offer transformative potential, but challenges such as high costs and technology adoption remain hurdles for the sector.