Iran's Exports Caught in Carbon Trap | Global Trade Rules Shift Against Mining and Steel

At a national conference on mining and mineral industries in the carbon era, three speakers, citing changes to global trade rules, stressed the need to revise production methods and resource management, and for Iran's industries to prepare for environmental requirements. They warned that these changes could affect production costs and competitiveness in export markets.

Oil and Energy Group; At the national conference on mining and mineral industries in the carbon age, three activists in the field of mining and environment warned against the change in global trade rules and its impact on the future of Iran's industries. By turning the carbon footprint into a criterion for competition in international markets, Iran's mining and steel industries are facing the necessity of revising their production and resource management methods in order to maintain their export status.

Mohammad Hossein Emami, head of the Iran Green Management Association, emphasized the change in global trade rules and said that mining industries can no longer rely solely on product quality, price and delivery time; They should also measure and document the resource consumption and carbon footprint of their products.

Stating that "our environment is our economy", he explained that reducing the consumption of water, energy and raw materials, in addition to reducing pollution, lowers production costs and creates a competitive advantage. According to Emami, upgrading equipment alone does not reduce resource consumption, and improving processes and increasing the awareness of human resources should be prioritized.

Emami considered collecting detailed data about the amount and location of resource consumption per product unit as the first step for industries to prepare for global trade; Data that can be the basis for calculating carbon footprints and preparing reports required for export markets.

Saeed Tajik: Environmental regulations have become a new obstacle in business

Saeed Tajik, head of the Energy and Environment Commission of the Tehran Chamber, pointed to the expansion of carbon regulations in international markets, and emphasized the need for Iran's industries to be ready to face the new requirements. According to him, in practice, some of these regulations can become non-tariff barriers to trade, and companies that do not have the ability to measure and prove the carbon emissions of their products will face difficulties in competing with more equipped producers.

Tajik also emphasized the importance of reliable measurement and verification of carbon data. Merely calculating the amount of emissions is not enough and industries must be able to provide their information in a documented and acceptable form for the target market. He also announced the preparation of a report on international carbon limits in the Tehran Chamber.

Asari: Without government support, transition to green steel is difficult

Asari, the head of the policy council of the Green Steel and Mining Strategic Institute (Sigmas), referring to the experience of voluntary efforts of industries to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, said that the actions of companies alone are not enough to create a large-scale change, and the support and serious action of governments is also necessary.

Referring to the complexity of steel production processes and the need for high heat in this industry, he considered the transition to low-carbon technologies to be a time-consuming path and emphasized the need to review old production processes and reduce resource wastage.

According to Asari, the development of new technologies must be accompanied by a more accurate understanding of processes and management of resource consumption; Because reducing wastage in mining and steel industries can help reduce pollution and improve the economic performance of companies.

future competition; Combining cost reduction and carbon footprint reduction

The sum of the views raised in this conference emphasizes an important change in world trade: the environmental performance of industries is gradually becoming a part of economic competition. In such a situation, measuring resource consumption, documenting carbon emissions, and modifying production processes can be more important for Iran's mining industries than meeting environmental requirements and affect the cost and their access to export markets.