Emissions Reduction

Our Commitment to Reduce GHG Emissions

One of the most important issues impacting our planet is climate change. While the American steel industry is already among the cleanest and most energy efficient in the world, we are doing our part to reduce our GHG emissions. Our Strategy and Sustainability Committee of the Board of Directors—chaired by our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer—oversees Cliffs’ ESG-related risks and opportunities, including climate change. We are a proud member of the DOE’s Better Climate Challenge, and through our engagement with the DOE we pursue opportunities for project support and funding for industrial decarbonization. In 2022, Cleveland-Cliffs’ Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions were already below our 25% reduction goal ahead of our 2030 target year. Additionally, in 2022, we reduced both our company-wide GHG intensity as well as our integrated BF-BOF average intensity.

In pursuit of the strategic priorities outlined in our Climate Commitment Plan, Cliffs is also pursuing funding opportunities for industrial decarbonization projects through the DOE. For example, we are continuing our work on carbon capture and sequestration of our available blast furnace gas from our Burns Harbor facility. In 2022, we joined the Great Lakes Clean Hydrogen hub, a coordinated effort to transition the Midwest into a leading low-carbon fuel production center, attracting major investment, new businesses and job creation. In addition to our DR plant in Toledo, Cliffs is also investigating the usage of hydrogen injection into our blast furnaces and other processes to reduce emissions.