SUSTAINABILITY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE METALLURGICAL INDUSTRY

At present, climate change, sustainability, resource use and greenhouse gas emissions are issues that cannot be avoided. Undeniably, the impact of human activity unbalances many natural processes and it is producing effects on the planet's climate, ecosystems and people's health that are unprecedented. If we look into CO2 emissions, industry produces about one third of non-agricultural emissions, and of that, more than half is due to materials production (mainly steel and cement). Additionally, as population grow and people become richer, the demand for new products, services and energy will also increase. If climate change targets are to be met (roughly, a reduction of 50 % in CO2 emissions in 2050 with respect to the present), even with the increase in demand taken into account, a measure of serene and profound reflection is needed. This article looks into some of the challenges and the opportunities that the metallurgical industry faces in the coming years and decades, related to the use of resources and energy, the efficiency of processes, and the emissions and waste produced.