China is seeking public feedback on new guidelines aimed at standardizing greenhouse gas emissions from the steel industry, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said on Friday, reported Reuters. The move is part of efforts to prepare steel mills for their entry into the nation’s carbon market.
The draft plan, released in September, drafted an extension of China’s emissions trading scheme to include the steel, cement, and aluminum sectors by the end of this year, This expansion will put hundreds of firms to enhance their emissions monitoring capabilities.
The guidelines are aligning with international standards, such as Europe’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, requiring exporters to account for the carbon dioxide emissions generated during production.
The guidelines are designed to standardise the way greenhouse gas emissions in the steel sector are measured and meet the needs of the expanded national carbon market, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said in a statement.
Public feedback on the draft guidelines is open until December 16, on the new rules. Once finalized, the rules will apply to all steel enterprises involved in the carbon market, it said.
China’s steel sector, responsible for around 17% of its total greenhouse gas emissions, heavily relies on coal-fired blast furnaces and electricity.
On average, Chinese steelmakers produce 2.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide per ton of steel produced, higher than the global average of 1.4 tons, according to a report by Asia Research & Engagement.