The 2026 World Steel Association Conference on Low-Carbon Innovation and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) across the Steel Value Chain was held in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, from September 9 to 10, co-hosted by the World Steel Association and CITIC Special Steel. Centered on the theme "Collaborative Dialogue and Innovation for a Low-Carbon Future," the conference brought together representatives from international organizations, enterprises across the steel value chain, and authoritative institutions to explore effective pathways toward net-zero emissions by leveraging scientific assessment to drive value-chain collaboration. Edwin Basson, Director General of the World Steel Association; Luo Yuandong, Vice Chairman and President of CITIC Special Steel; and Li Yiren, Vice Chairman of the China Iron and Steel Association, attended the event and delivered speeches.

In his keynote report titled "Progress and Landscape of Decarbonization in the Global Steel Industry," Basong pointed out that global net-zero initiatives are reshaping industrial structures and geopolitical dynamics; however, factors such as the pace of hydrogen energy development, infrastructure constraints, and uneven policy support have made realizing certain decarbonization scenarios more challenging. He emphasized the lack of standardized carbon emission measurement methods and regulatory policies across nations, as well as the prevalence of "greenwashing" in the sector, noting an urgent need for the industry to adopt mass-balance accounting methods and establish a unified, interoperable carbon emission measurement system. Li Yiren outlined several achievements in the green and low-carbon transformation of China's steel industry, including the scaled operation of an EPD platform covering the entire steel value chain, the effective implementation of standards for low-carbon steel, and active participation in global rule-making and technical research through the LCA Technical Committee.

During the conference, CITIC Special Steel officially launched its low-carbon innovation brand, "Special Steel Oasis." Centered on the "Oasis" concept, the brand is dedicated to providing high-end, low-carbon special steel solutions that are scientifically sustainable, transparently traceable, and highly customizable; it also unveiled the "1+1+N" global low-carbon special steel development framework. Seven demonstration projects, co-created by CITIC Special Steel and its industry chain partners, were showcased at the event, covering key materials such as bearing steel, gear steel, and wind power steel. Notably, the hub bearing steel utilizes a near-zero-carbon process combining 100% scrap steel with 100% green electricity, achieving a carbon footprint as low as 0.310 tCO₂e/t for hot-rolled round steel—a reduction of over 80% compared to traditional long-process production.

Spanning two days, the conference featured three key themes—policy and trade dialogue, LCA research and practice, and value chain collaboration—alongside three roundtable discussions. These sessions focused on policy coordination within an international context, pathways for breakthroughs in corporate carbon footprint management, and the transformation of industry chain challenges into actionable solutions. The event further strengthened the consensus on industry chain collaboration centered on LCA and advanced the precise implementation of low-carbon innovative technologies across the entire steel value chain.