Green Steel in the Desert: A Pathway Toward a Sustainable Middle East

Amid rising global temperatures and intensifying calls to decarbonize heavy industries, a recent study by Nurdiawati et al. (2025) offers a detailed assessment of how the Middle East could emerge as a leader in the global shift toward green steel production. Currently responsible for approximately 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions, the steel sector—particularly in the Middle East, which accounts for a significant share of global direct reduced iron (DRI) output—stands at a critical juncture to pursue low-carbon alternatives.