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Canadian Steel welcomes COP26 procurement pact to support low-carbon steel

OTTAWA — Nov. 11 is Cities, Regions and Built Environment Day at COP26, bringing together leaders, alongside the private sector, to foster collaboration that can accelerate climate action over the next decade. As the world accelerates action on the built environment sector, Catherine Cobden, President & CEO of the Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) is cautiously welcoming a new initiative derived from United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, the Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI), including the United Kingdom, India, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and the Canadian government. This initiative aims to see policy development to support industrial decarbonization by stimulating the market for low carbon materials, including steel.

“Canadian steel producers manufacture some of the greenest steel in the world today and are ready to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said Cobden. “We stand behind our government’s efforts to drive domestic green procurement policies forward, knowing it is a national imperative for competitiveness and long-term low carbon transformation.”

Earlier this year, the CSPA also participated in a C.D. Howe Institute event on how to bring green procurement to life in Canada. This event gathered input from senior government, industry, labour and trade leaders which has been captured in their report The Role of Public Procurement in Canada’s Quest to Net Zero.

The report calls upon the Canadian government to implement pan-Canadian green procurement standards and practices to support the countries net-zero ambitions. The report lays out a 10-point Action Plan to level the playing field, reinforce domestic supply chains and support low carbon solutions to public procurement and points the way forward for the Canadian government to meet its international support of the IDDI.

“We are eager for a new vision of putting public procurement to work for climate change because we have a strong need now, but also an obligation to future generations to leave no policy lever untouched in the fight against climate change,” said Cobden.

Canada has a $15 billion dollar steel industry which produced approximately 13 million tonnes of primary steel, steel pipe and tube products in over 30 facilities in 5 provinces. The Canadian steel industry plays a vital role in reducing Canada’s emissions and the global circular economy.