The window to avoid locking in decades of steel emissions is closing fast 
[Policy Brief]

Bachorz, Clara; Dürrwächter, Jakob; Gong, Chen Chris; Odenweller, Adrian; Pehl, Michaja; Schreyer, Felix; Verpoort, Philipp; Luderer, Gunnar; Ueckerdt, Falko

doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02634-9

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The window to avoid locking in decades of steel emissions is closing fast [Policy Brief]

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/persons/resource/clara.bachorz

Bachorz, Clara
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/jakob.duerrwaechter

Dürrwächter, Jakob
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/Chen.Gong

Gong, Chen Chris
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/adrian.odenweller

Odenweller, Adrian
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/michaja.pehl

Pehl, Michaja
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/Felix.Schreyer

Schreyer, Felix
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/philipp.verpoort

Verpoort, Philipp
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/Gunnar.Luderer

Luderer, Gunnar
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/Falko.Ueckerdt

Ueckerdt, Falko
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

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Bachorz, C., Dürrwächter, J., Gong, C. C., Odenweller, A., Pehl, M., Schreyer, F., Verpoort, P., Luderer, G., Ueckerdt, F. (2026): The window to avoid locking in decades of steel emissions is closing fast [Policy Brief]. - Nature Climate Change, 16, 636-637.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-026-02634-9

???ViewItemOverview_lblCiteAs???: https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_34461

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Coal-based steel plants risk locking in 60 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2070, but most of these emissions can still be avoided at moderate cost. Steel need not be hard to decarbonize: policymakers must seize the narrow window to redirect investments towards cleaner alternatives this decade.