Is "Hard-to-Abate" a Justification for Delay?
Labelling heavy industry, such as steel, as "hard-to-abate" has influenced policy and business actions, potentially undermining global efforts to reduce emissions.
According to Bill Hare, CEO and senior scientist at Climate Analytics, the term "hard-to-abate" is often used by heavy industry to justify delayed emission reductions or continued reliance on carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) or offsets to meet climate goals.
The term “hard-to-abate” is widely claimed by heavy industry to argue against having to reduce emissions quickly.
Continuing to classify highly polluting industrial sectors as "hard-to-abate" jeopardises the world's ability to achieve global net-zero CO2 emissions by mid-century, crucial to the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5C.
Author's summary: Industry's "hard-to-abate" label may hinder emission cuts.