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Abstract

The iron and steel (IAS) sector forms a critical foundation of the global economy, and
the successful eco-economic decoupling of this sector has been a focus of academic
inquiry. However, existing literature in decoupling analysis often adopts a “carbon
tunnel vision,” that is, concentrating on carbon alone while neglecting a broader array
of environmental consequences. Here, we conduct multi-footprint accounting for the
IAS sector from 2000 to 2022 for carbon, energy, water, and particulate matter
dimensions, examining decoupling patterns across different regions and various foot-
print types. Contrary to existing literature showing the successful decoupling of the
IAS sector's environmental impact with economic growth, our study highlights that
the decoupling trend is only observed in carbon footprints. We find that the carbon
intensity has experienced a substantial decrease in the post-2016 period, effectively
counterbalancing the growth induced by increased demand. Such a pattern is unob-
served for other footprint types. This suggests that while carbon has decoupled,
other environmental impacts, such as water use and particulate matter, remain
closely linked to the economic activity in this sector. These findings highlight a need
for achieving sustainability on a diverse scale beyond decarbonizing the IAS sector. A
shift away from the “carbon tunnel vision” in scholarly inquiry and public attention is
essential, as it may hinder achieving diverse sustainability goals.