The Limits of Incrementalism in the Green Transformation of the Iron and Steel Industry

Abstract

Incrementalism is a dominant decision‑making paradigm, characterised by stepwise adjustments rather than structural transformation, often viewed as a pragmatic and politically feasible approach. Yet sustainability scholarship increasingly highlights its inadequacy in addressing the scale and urgency of today’s environmental challenges. Following this critique, the paper investigates the limitation of incrementalism within the context of industrial decarbonisation, focusing on the steel sector. Through a review of emerging pathways for green steel production, the analysis demonstrates that marginal improvements within the incumbent process are insufficient to achieve deep emissions reductions. The industry’s transition demonstrates that sustainability goals cannot be achieved through incremental adjustments alone; they require systemic technological, infrastructural, and institutional change. Incremental approaches adjust expectation, but fail to deliver structural transformation, revealing how the myth of incrementalism obscures the transformative shifts necessary. Consequently, more ambitious and transformative policy interventions are required for a viable green transformation in the industry.