The green transformation and border carbon adjustment, two of the most pressing topics in the steel industry in recent years, were discussed at a conference organized by the Turkish Steel Exporters Association (ÇİB).
On December 10, 2024, ÇİB hosted a conference titled “EU Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism and Green Transformation in the Turkish Steel Industry.” The event attracted nearly 200 participants, with 16 speakers sharing their insights.
Ugur Dalbeler, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Steel Exporters Association, emphasized that green transformation has been the most important agenda item for the steel industry in the past five years. He highlighted that Turkey is one of the countries producing the cleanest steel in the world. “There is around 400 million tons of steel trade globally. The Turkish steel industry stands out as the cleanest and most advantageous in this trade. By leveraging this, there is a possibility of reversing the decline we’ve experienced in industrialization in a positive direction. However, we must prepare well for this and manage it with minimal costs,” Dalbeler stated.
Dalbeler explained that emissions in steel production are calculated in three phases: “The first is the emissions from the process itself, known as Scope 1, which is favorable for us. The second is energy-related emissions, known as Scope 2, where we are also doing well. The third is related to logistics, where unfortunately Turkey is at a disadvantage. We need to plan and manage these from the start. For this, we need to raise awareness among workers, companies, and all stakeholders. The main purpose of our conferences is to achieve this.”
“We Are As Green As Possible”
Dalbeler shared that the global average emissions for producing one ton of steel is approximately two tons. “This figure will continue to rise until 2030 and then decrease. But in Turkey, scrap-based production represents 75% of our total production. Therefore, our emissions fall below 500 kilograms, which is a quarter of the global average. In this sense, we can say that our sector is as green as possible,” Dalbeler noted.
The conference began with the opening speech of Ali Riza Oktay, Head of the Department of Mines, Metals, and Forest Products at the General Directorate of Exports. The first session, which focused on the EU Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (SKDM) legislation and its impact on the Turkish steel industry, included speakers such as Uğur Dalbeler, Cansu Dincer Zeybek, a Trade Expert from the Ministry of Trade, and Dr. S. Armagan Vurdu, General Secretary of the Istanbul Minerals and Metals Exporters’ Association.
The second session, which examined reducing the carbon footprint and the roadmap for the Turkish steel industry, featured Pınar Ozgün Yavas, Deputy Director of REACH Global Services, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Senior Director at Sphera, Dr. Akif Koca, Partner at PwC, and Elif Semra Ceylan, Senior Manager at Ernst & Young. The second part of the session included Burak Oğuz, Partner at Consulta, Murat Gunaydın, Partner at Deloitte, Dora Ureten, Director at Escarus, and Begum Mermeroglu from Qanaq Consultancy.
The third session, which discussed financing and incentives for the green transformation of the Turkish steel industry, included speakers such as Setenay Iyigun, Trade Expert at the Ministry of Trade, Mehmet Aslan, President of TÜBİTAK’s TEYDEB, Yesim Simsek, Deputy General Manager at TKYB, Meral Murathan, Deputy General Manager and Sustainability Leader at TSKB, and Dr. Kubra Ulutas Tapo, Deputy Secretary General at TIM.
Source: Foreks / Prepared by: İlayda Gök