Post by Transition Asia

Our Japan Lead, Kenta Kubokawa, delivered a presentation and participated in a panel discussion at the South East Asia Iron and Steel Institute (SEAISI) Conference last week, where speakers explored how steel markets are evolving across China, India, Japan, and the MENA region, and how these developments could shape the growth of green steel production in Southeast Asia. Drawing on insights from Transition Asia’s engagement with steel consumers and other stakeholders in Japan, Kenta highlighted how shifting international climate and trade-related requirements are reshaping competitiveness in the steel sector and increasing pressure on producers to adopt credible decarbonisation pathways.A key takeaway from the discussion was that market creation depends on demand-side recognition. Unless steel consumers recognise a product as genuinely green, a market for low-emission steel is unlikely to materialise. Several important considerations highlighted in Kenta’s presentation for the region’s steel transition include: ▫️ aligning with emerging global standards and trade-related climate requirements to maintain export competitiveness, ▫️ ensuring that definitions of low-emission steel prioritise absolute emissions reductions, and ▫️ accelerating electric arc furnace (EAF) pathways through a combination of scrap utilisation and direct reduced iron (DRI). Thank you to South East Asia Iron and Steel Institute (SEAISI) for the invitation and for convening an insightful discussion on the steel development in the region. #GreenSteel #SteelDecarbonisation #IndustrialDecarbonisation #LowEmissionSteel #EnergyTransition #SoutheastAsia #Japan #SteelIndustry