ABX25: 'There's no point in having electric cars if steel continues to pollute', says Brazil Iron's VP
02/10/2025
Published 17/09/2025 • 11:27
KEY POINTS
Emerson Souza, vice president of Brazil Iron, highlighted this Wednesday (17), at ABX25, the need to integrate the entire production chain to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainability in the automotive industry goes beyond the electrification of vehicles.
Sustainability in the automotive industry goes beyond the electrification of vehicles. Emerson Souza, vice president of Brazil Iron, highlighted this Wednesday (17), at ABX25, the need to integrate the entire production chain to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“The automobile industry was one of the first in the world to move in this process, already through the electrification of cars. But there is no point in having electric cars if production continues to be made with a steel that, in its generation, eliminates a large amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Integration is fundamental,” said Souza, in an interview with Times Brasil – Exclusive Licensee CNBC.
“Green iron is an input produced from traditional iron ore, but with a fully decarbonized process. It is the only input that makes it possible to transform it into green steel, that is, a raw material for cars and for the basic industry without greenhouse gas emissions,” said Souza.
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According to the executive, only 3% of the world’s iron ore has this capacity, and that Brazil, especially Bahia, has unique conditions for the development of this material. “Brazil has a window of opportunity to enter the forefront of the decarbonization of the basic industry as a whole,” he said.
He also commented on the international demand: “Asia and Europe are already seeing the need to produce green steel. The race for the material is great, and the automotive industry is one of the first to seek this product to build cars that are green not only in driving, but also in manufacturing.”
The Brazilian project in Bahia includes three stages of processing until reaching the green iron, technically known as HBI. “In addition to generating a more planet-friendly product, the process creates jobs, collects taxes and increases the added value of exported production,” he concluded.