In recent years, relevant departments and local governments have resolutely implemented the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on green and low-carbon development. The steel industry has made solid efforts, and its green and low-carbon development level has continuously improved. Through large-scale technological equipment transformation and the promotion and application of advanced energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies, some steel enterprises in China have achieved internationally leading levels in energy saving and emission reduction, with a production capacity accounting for about 6% of the national total. On August 15, Xia Nong, a first-level inspector of the Department of Industry of the National Development and Reform Commission, attended the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Steel Industry Low-Carbon Work Promotion Committee via video and affirmed the achievements of the steel industry's green and low-carbon development in recent years in his address.

　　Xia Nong pointed out that as an important basic raw material industry and an energy-intensive industry, promoting energy saving and carbon reduction in the steel industry is an important measure to thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions on achieving the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, an important task for China to achieve its "dual carbon" goals, and an important mission for the transformation and upgrading of the steel industry and a necessary requirement for high-quality development.
　　
　　According to statistics from the China Iron and Steel Industry Association, in 2021, the comprehensive energy consumption per ton of steel of key statistical steel enterprises reached 550 kg of standard coal, a decrease of 3.8% compared with 2015. The green and low-carbon development of the steel industry shows a good trend of accelerating year by year. "While fully affirming the achievements, we should also see that there are still some problems urgently needing to be solved in the green and low-carbon development of the steel industry." Xia Nong gave an example, "The energy-saving and emission-reduction management level and performance level of some steel enterprises are not high enough, the low-carbon infrastructure is relatively weak, and there are weak links in the standardization of data statistics and management systems, the improvement of the standard system, and the construction of professional teams. There is still great potential to further improve the energy-saving and emission-reduction development level of the steel industry."
　　
　　Xia Nong further pointed out that the steel industry should promote green and low-carbon development guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the CPC and its subsequent plenary sessions, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, comprehensively, accurately, and completely implement the new development philosophy, continuously deepen supply-side structural reforms, resolutely implement various policies and regulations of the steel industry, further strengthen the understanding of the necessity and urgency of green and low-carbon development, further increase the intensity of energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation and implementation, further improve the assessment and evaluation system and working mechanism, and accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation and high-quality development of the steel industry.
　　
　　Xia Nong introduced that the work that has been carried out and is planned to be further done mainly includes the following aspects:
　　
　　First, formulate documents on energy saving and carbon reduction. To promote energy saving and carbon reduction in key areas such as steel, in October 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with relevant departments, issued and implemented three policy documents, including "Several Opinions on Strictly Constraining Energy Efficiency to Promote Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction in Key Areas," which clarified the benchmark and baseline energy efficiency levels for key areas such as steel and proposed the goal of exceeding 30% of the steel industry's production capacity reaching benchmark levels by 2025.
　　
　　Second, increase the intensity of document implementation. Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the "Notice on Accelerating the Promotion of Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction in Key Areas," further requiring local governments to establish a list of enterprise equipment energy efficiency; formulate technical transformation implementation plans, and actively and steadily promote the energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation and upgrading of enterprises.
　　
　　Third, study and formulate a carbon peaking plan. The National Development and Reform Commission is working with relevant departments to study and formulate the "Implementation Plan for Carbon Peaking in the Steel Industry," which will propose goals, approaches, and specific measures to ensure that the steel industry achieves carbon peaking before 2030.
　　
　　Fourth, increase policy support. According to the determined benchmark and baseline energy efficiency levels, based on the principle of both support and pressure, adopt classified policies to promote project efficiency and meet standards, and limit the phased transformation, upgrading, and elimination; take steel energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation and upgrading and low-carbon metallurgy as key support directions, provide support for projects with significant energy-saving and carbon-reduction effects and strong demonstration effects, encourage enterprises to implement key technological transformations and major technological breakthroughs; connect with financial institutions to support financial institutions in increasing the intensity of green credit lending, and continuously increase financial support for key energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation projects; through green electricity prices, energy-saving supervision, environmental protection supervision and law enforcement, etc., in accordance with laws and regulations, increase market regulation and supervision and inspection.
　　
　　Last year, the China Iron and Steel Industry Association coordinated the industry's efforts to establish the Low-Carbon Work Promotion Committee to cooperate with the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments in studying and formulating the implementation plan for carbon peaking in the steel industry, promoting energy saving and carbon reduction in key areas, and other related policies, and has carried out a large amount of systematic and effective work around low-carbon development, low-carbon technology, and low-carbon standards. Xia Nong affirmed the association's work in this regard, saying, "In promoting the green and low-carbon development of the steel industry, the China Iron and Steel Industry Association plays an indispensable and important role."
　　
　　Xia Nong further proposed that in the new journey of promoting carbon peaking in the steel industry, he hopes that the association will continue to practice its association's purpose, resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, continue to play a good role as a bridge and link between the government and enterprises, conduct in-depth energy-saving and carbon-reduction technical consultation and services, strengthen experience summary and promotion, promptly reflect the industry's demands and voices, and contribute advice and suggestions for the healthy development of the industry. For steel enterprises, he proposed that they should further enhance their initiative and self-awareness in green and low-carbon development, earnestly implement the various requirements of green and low-carbon development, resolutely curb the blind development of high-energy-consuming, high-emission, and low-level projects, scientifically formulate carbon peaking plans, promote green development through technological innovation, and unswervingly follow the path of green and low-carbon development.