The Centre for Energy Policy at the University of Strathclyde is publishing its latest policy brief, co-authored by Director of the Welsh Economy Research Unit at the Cardiff Business School Professor Max Munday and CEP Director Professor Karen Turner.
The briefing discusses the outlook for steel production in Wales, in the context of net zero emission targets and a transitioning economy.
It addresses a series of factors that might be considered by policymakers in connection with the future evolution of steelmaking in Wales, where around 8,000 (largely full-time) people are currently employed in the sector, with an additional 2,000 or so full-time equivalent jobs in related activities, such as metal casting.
However, the issues discussed are relevant to other parts of the UK with important steel manufacturing sectors such as Teesside. We set these in terms of considering the current economic contribution of the industry’s primary steel production with focus on Port Talbot, setting this contribution against the associated point source emissions.
This enables consideration of the potential impacts and trade-offs in considering both the domestic impacts of industry change on jobs, incomes and regional unemployment challenges, and increased reliance on imported steel and its associated carbon emissions.
Importantly, we also look at the potential options for, and implications of, decarbonising and/or change in the production profile of the Welsh industry, set in the context of potential market opportunities as economies move through the net zero transition.
The briefing is available to download here.