Steel is everywhere — from buildings and cars to wind turbines and solar panels — but it’s also one of the world’s biggest carbon emitters. So how do we decarbonize an industry that makes up 7–11% of global emissions?

In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin is joined by co-hosts Dr. Victor Nian (CSER) and Jordan Kronen, along with special guest Hasliza Omar, PhD candidate in energy security at the University of New South Wales. Together, they dive into:

🔹 What green steel really means — and how it’s made

🔹 The role of hydrogen (green, gray, pink… the whole rainbow!)

🔹 Why nuclear could be a game-changer for industrial heat

🔹 The geopolitics of high-grade iron ore and hydrogen supply

🔹 Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) and what they mean for Asia

🔹 The opportunities — and pitfalls — for Southeast Asia in building a green steel ecosystem

Hasliza also shares her vision of a “green corridor” future where nations cooperate across resources, technology, and finance to power a low-carbon world.

🎧 Whether you’re interested in climate tech, industrial policy, or the geopolitics of energy, this episode connects the dots on one of the hardest — and most important — sectors to decarbonize.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro – The hydrogen rainbow

03:00 How steel is made: traditional vs. green steel

06:00 Green hydrogen explained

09:00 Nuclear’s role in industrial decarbonization

18:00 Why steel is crucial to climate goals

20:00 Geopolitics of high-grade iron ore

23:00 Australia’s hydrogen dilemma

24:00 CBAM and green steel trade

27:00 Asia’s unique challenges and opportunities

35:00 Policy advice for Southeast Asia

39:00 Utopian vs. realistic futures

42:00 Closing thoughts

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