On July 25, the 17th Steel Industry Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Conference, themed “Synergizing Energy and Carbon to Empower Development and Deepen the Green Foundation,” was held in Beijing. Organized by the Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute and other institutions, the conference attracted more than 130 companies and over 450 delegates, who engaged in discussions on topics such as the “15th Five-Year Plan” carbon peaking campaign and the development of the national carbon market.

Jiang Wei, Secretary of the Party Committee of the China Iron and Steel Association, pointed out that the transition to a green and low-carbon economy is a “must-answer question” for the survival and development of steel enterprises. He emphasized that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the industry must strictly adhere to the mandatory constraints of dual carbon emission controls, accelerate energy-saving and carbon-reduction upgrades, make effective use of carbon market mechanisms, and promote the effective integration of ultra-low emissions with carbon trading. He suggested that the industry prioritize the implementation of technologies, data governance, collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions, the cultivation of industry benchmarks, and digital and intelligent empowerment. Lu Shize, Deputy Director-General of the Climate Change Department at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, called on enterprises to strengthen internal carbon management, strictly ensure data quality, and actively participate in carbon trading. Zhang Yongjie, Executive Director of the China Iron and Steel Association, proposed implementing three major initiatives: “Quality Improvement and Product Innovation,” “Energy and Carbon Efficiency Enhancement,” and “Digital and Intelligent Transformation.” Zhou Changbo, an expert at the Center for Environmental Development, emphasized the need to improve the full-process control system for carbon emission data.

All participating parties agreed that the steel industry should focus on the main theme of energy-carbon synergy, leverage both policy and market forces as dual drivers, accelerate the establishment of a new model of green, low-carbon, and high-quality development, and lay a solid foundation for the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan.