Emissions in China’s steel industry rose by 4.4% y/y in December

In December 2025, Chinese steel enterprises belonging to the CISA industry association increased their total emissions by 4.41% compared to December 2024. This is evidenced by data from the association.

Despite the increase, emissions of sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides in waste gases decreased by 16.74%, 3.65%, and 19.35% year-on-year, respectively.

Total energy consumption by participating companies in December decreased by 6.4% y/y. Total energy consumption per ton of steel increased by 4.4% y/y, and comparable consumption increased by 2.5% y/y. Electricity consumption per ton of steel increased by 6.2% y/y.

Total electricity consumption decreased by 0.5% y/y. Own electricity production decreased by 1.4% y/y, and its share in the total balance decreased by 0.57 p.p. to 58.95%. Clean energy production increased by 46.9% y/y, including wind energy by 415.1% and solar energy by 42.2%.

Water consumption by member companies increased by 3.6% y/y. Water withdrawal decreased by 1.5% y/y, while reuse increased by 3.6%. The water reuse rate increased to 98.49% (+0.08 p.p.). Water consumption per ton of steel increased by 10.1% y-o-y – to 2.55 cubic meters. Wastewater emissions increased by 1.7% y-o-y.

The utilization rate of steelmaking and blast furnace slag, as well as iron-bearing dust, remained above 99%. The use of combustible gases, in particular blast furnace, converter, and coke oven gases, exceeded 98%, and converter gas extraction increased by 1.7% y/y.

It should be noted that in 2024, total emissions in China’s steel industry increased by 4.1% compared to 2023. The increase in the liquidity of blast furnace capacities compared to electric arc furnaces increased emissions in the industry despite a decline in annual steel production.