The steel industry has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 17% since 1990 and has committed to reducing them by an additional 10% by 2012. According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group, energy efficiency improvements have led to and will continue to lead to the reductions in CO2. AISI is proposing a partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) to achieve the new reduction goal. "To achieve this ambitious goal will be extremely difficult," said David S. Sutherland, AISI chairman at chairman and CEO of IPSO Inc., at the announcement of the program in May. "We believe it is possible, but we have to broaden and accelerate our research into new technologies. Our proposed partnership with DOE to fund the CO2 Breakthrough Program is, therefore, critical to our success."