Advocacy Groups Tell Biden to Advance EU Deal on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today a group of environmental advocacy groups including the Center for American Progress, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, and National Wildlife Federation sent a letter to President Biden and United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai calling on them to commit to a strong Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GASSA) deal with the EU that includes an agreement to advance industrial decarbonization in these sectors. 

• Read the letter: https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/gassa-letter-president-biden-20231204.pdf 

The letter comes amid reports that talks on GASSA have stalled, and that the U.S. and EU are seeking to reach agreement on a path forward by the end of the year. 

Statements from some groups involved in the letter: 

“GASSA is a critical opportunity to raise the ceiling on our industrial decarbonization ambitions, lock in a partnership with the EU, and signal a race to the top for clean steel and aluminum. Steel and aluminum are heavily traded, carbon-intensive materials responsible for 13% percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Without clean trade policies and a level playing field for lower-carbon goods we will miss a crucial chance to change the course of industrial emissions” said Christina Theodoridi, Policy Director for Industry at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). 

“Representatives from the U.S. and the EU cannot lose sight of the fact that these trade negotiations are only the beginning of a process for which the world is already behind schedule. A workable standard for carbon emissions under GASSA would encourage other nations to participate in similar arrangements, paving the way for additional agreements that address more carbon-intensive materials and control toxic pollutants beyond greenhouse gases. To make this initial arrangement effective, we look forward to both sides putting forward clear plans to expand administrative capacities on monitoring and reporting emissions,” said Yong Kwon, Senior Policy Advisor for the Sierra Club. 

“GASSA offers a historic opportunity to do what no trade deal has done to date: create a dedicated market for low-carbon goods, and discourage unsustainable manufacturing practices that harm workers and the planet. As the world confronts the unsettling news out of COP-28 that we are falling short of our climate goals, it is essential that we use every tool available to drive down emissions. Trade policy has an important role to play in delivering a sustainable future, and GASSA is the place to start,” said Trevor Sutton, Senior Fellow for Energy and Environment at the Center for American Progress.