A vigilant voice driving climate urgency in steel
The Challenge – The global steel industry has the power to make or break our ability to preserve a liveable climate. This single industry, still reliant on coal, is responsible for 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 11% of CO2 emissions. Despite promises to reduce emissions decades from now, the world’s largest steelmakers are moving far too slowly. The sector is simply not on track to contribute to keeping temperature increases under 1.5C. Investments made today in steelmaking will last for decades, so every choice matters. Now is a time for the greatest ambition.
Our Vision for Change
Our vision is a steel industry that underpins a zero-emissions economy and enables the environment, communities and workers to thrive.
Our mission is to turbo-charge the transformation to a decarbonised steel sector.
Our ambition and target is that steel gets on-track with a 1.5 degree warming trajectory by 2030.
The journey is neither easy nor clear, but the alternative – complacency or resistance – means catastrophe.
SteelWatch brings a vigilant voice, challenging the global steel industry to deliver its fair contribution to a liveable planet and supporting civil society to hold the sector accountable.
Our role in Change
Drive Ambition & Accountability
We urge speed and scale in emissions reduction, challenging the narrative that incremental progress is enough. We shine a light on the gap between what is needed and what is happening.
Strengthen Global Advocacy
We support, connect and strengthen the movements working on corporate and national-level campaigns for a transparent, equitable and zero-emissions steel sector.
Campaign for Corporate Action
We are vigilant and vocal in engaging and holding steel companies to account, seeking actionable change, company by company and plant by plant.
Our Values
Truth
We work to urge speed and scale for emissions reductions from the steel industry at a global level. We challenge the narrative that marginal shifts are enough.
People and Planet
Just reducing carbon is not enough, real sustainability means addressing a broader set of issues. We challenge the global steel industry to work for all of its stakeholders, from the neighbours of steel mills or mines who are affected by pollution, to its workers, to the indigenous peoples whose rights have been affected by the industry’s practices. We seek to ensure these voices are heard and have a seat at the table where decisions are made.
Collaboration
Impact is achieved by allies supporting each other and amplifying their power. We work to empower people to challenge and influence decision-makers in steel. We nurture relationships based on trust, connection, respect, and mutual benefit, with careful safeguarding of those who take most risks.
Time
Time is our scarcest resource. Bad investments today will lock us into high-emissions for decades, making it impossible to keep warming under 1.5C. We focus our efforts on the change that needs to happen by 2030 to get on-track.
Change
Change is the impact we seek and our measure of success. Change at a vast scale and unprecedented pace requires a willingness to think differently and learn quickly. There are multiple levers of change from markets to mindsets and we focus on where we add the most value.
SteelWatch Annual Report 2024
Since June 2023, SteelWatch has established itself as a bold new voice in the climate movement, challenging the global steel industry to play its part in building a liveable future. We present SteelWatch’s first annual report, covering the period from the registration as a Stichting in June 2023 up to December 2024, also defined as the first financial year.