India releases Green Steel Taxonomy, first country to do so
Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy released India's Green Steel Taxonomy at Vigyan Bhavan on 12 December 2024, making India the first nation to define green steel.
Summary
India's Taxonomy of Green Steel was released by Union Steel and Heavy Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on 12 December 2024, making India the first nation to release such a taxonomy. Green steel is defined as steel from plants with emission intensity below 2.2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of finished steel, with greenness expressed as a percentage below that threshold. Steel below 1.6 t-CO2e/tfs is five-star rated, 1.6-2.0 is four-star and 2.0-2.2 is three-star; steel above 2.2 is not eligible. The thresholds will be reviewed every three years, and emissions cover Scope 1, Scope 2 and limited Scope 3. The National Institute of Secondary Steel Technology (NISST) is the nodal agency for measurement, reporting and verification and for issuing greenness certificates and star ratings, issued yearly.
Key facts
- Released
- 12 December 2024, Vigyan Bhavan, by H.D. Kumaraswamy
- First
- India is the first nation to release a green steel taxonomy
- Threshold
- Below 2.2 t-CO2e per tonne of finished steel
- Five-star
- Below 1.6 t-CO2e/tfs
- Four-star / Three-star
- 1.6-2.0 / 2.0-2.2 t-CO2e/tfs
- Review
- Every three years
- Nodal agency
- NISST (MRV, certificates and star ratings, yearly)
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Under India's Green Steel Taxonomy (December 2024), five-star green-rated steel must have an emission intensity lower than how many tonnes of CO2e per tonne of finished steel?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 1.6
PIB (Steel): five-star green-rated steel has emission intensity lower than 1.6 t-CO2e/tfs; four-star is 1.6-2.0, three-star 2.0-2.2, and steel above 2.2 is not eligible.
Which body is the nodal agency for measurement, reporting and verification and for issuing greenness certificates under India's Green Steel Taxonomy?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — National Institute of Secondary Steel Technology
PIB (Steel): the National Institute of Secondary Steel Technology (NISST) shall serve as the nodal agency for MRV and for issuing greenness certificates and star ratings, on a yearly basis.
Consider the following statements about India's Green Steel Taxonomy: 1. India is the first nation to release a taxonomy of green steel. 2. The star-rating thresholds will be reviewed every five years. 3. Steel with emission intensity above 2.2 t-CO2e per tonne of finished steel is not eligible for a green rating. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 1 and 3 only
PIB (Steel): India is the first nation to release a green steel taxonomy, and steel above 2.2 t-CO2e/tfs is not eligible for green rating. Statement 2 is incorrect: thresholds will be reviewed every three years.