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Industrial Decarbonization:
The Role Of Material Efficiency Strategies

in terms of scientific research, but also for implementations. Finally, it is seen
that in developing countries, design stage strategies stand out for material
efficiency as the most used strategies, followed by use stage strategies.
Which strategies contributes most to emission reductions, and thus which
strategy is the most efficient one, and their potential rebound effects are not
the subject of this study. However, in the light of the findings of this study,
it is clearly suggested that the primary strategies for decarbonization of the
industry should be developed at the design stage. For industrial sub-sectors
involving products such as iron, steel, aluminum and cement, to decrease the
demand for these materials, and thus to decrease the primary need for their
production, excessive (unnecessary) designs should be avoided, and smaller
products should be designed. Moreover, the substitution for these materials
to be used in manufacturing should be taken into consideration at the design
stage, and tsuchdesigns should allow for reuse and recycling. Making designs
that can be detached at the end of life will also contribute greatly to material
efficiency. For example, the prominent strategies in the production stage
are as follows; avoiding scrap, reducing waste, reducing production steps
to prevent waste, improving efficiency in production, improving efficiency in
material cutting techniques, improving nesting of parts, improving decisions
taken during production, and increasing inter-industry symbiosis. In the
end-of-life stage, remanufacture, reuse, recycling, scrap processing, and
the recovery of the product are emphasized. In addition to sector-specific
production strategies, demand-based strategies are also under the control
of the consumers, and they are really important for decarbonization. This use
stage requires relatively more intensive, shared, and longer use of industrial
goods based on relevant strategies. It also highlights the importance of
consumers’ choices for more efficient, smaller items that perform the same
function, second-hand items, and repurposing a product.

As mentioned before, the material efficiency strategies and transition to
a circular economy for the 2050 net zero goals is a complex and challenging
process. Such a transition requires an intensive interaction and cooperation
with many stakeholders at all levels and there is need for convenient policies
and tools to achieve this process. In recent years, researchers and policy
makers have started to develop a series of economic and financial policy tools
that aim for circular economy and material efficiency. Based on product life
cycle, it is argued that a number of changes in policy and some incentives in
the fiscal systems can be an effective tool to achieve such objectives. (Vence
and Perez, 2021; Milios, 2021). For instance, with a tax change effective as of
2017 in Sweden, the VATs have been reduced for the repair of bikes, shoes
and certain textile products. Moreover, the labor tax for people who do repair

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