International Comparison of Sustainability practices in Iron and Steel Industry

Abstract

This study evaluates the environmental sustainability performance of the iron and steel industry across multiple countries using key indicators such as CO? emissions, energy consumption, GHG emissions, and crude steel production. Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, including entropy, CRITIC, and the TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method, are employed to assess country-specific sustainability rankings. Additionally, sigma convergence analysis examines trends in sustainability performance over time.

Findings reveal significant disparities among countries. Spain emerges as the top performer (TOPSIS score: 0.1270), followed by Italy (0.1517), Austria (0.1570), and Belgium (0.1698), highlighting the effectiveness of stringent environmental policies and technological advancements. Conversely, China (Rank 23, 0.6232) and India (Rank 22, 0.5887) lag behind due to high emissions and industrialization challenges. Within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries, Turkey (Rank 14, 0.2631) performs relatively better, while China remains among the lowest-ranked. Similarly, BRICS countries such as South Africa and Brazil exhibit weaker sustainability outcomes.

The study underscores the need for robust policy interventions, technological innovations, and international cooperation to enhance sustainability in the global steel sector. It provides policy recommendations focused on emission reductions, energy efficiency, and governance improvements to align national practices with global sustainability goals.