Rio Tinto pledges to support renewable energies and climate action

April 15, 2019 by Joshua S Hill

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The Anglo-Australian multinational Rio Tinto, one of the largest mining and metallurgical groups in the world, is committed to supporting the global renewable energy sector and combating climate change, while committing to "publicly defending subsidies to coal ".

The departure of one of the Australian leaders in the industry comes less than a year after the company had completed its exit from the coal market with the sale of its last mine, the underground coal mine Kestrel, located in the center Queensland, in the north-east of the country. Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques said at the time that this decision made the company's portfolio "stronger and more focused".

In an industry association policy note released this month, the Australian mining giant has stepped up its commitment to fighting climate change by pledging to use its members in industry associations "to ensure that that their advocacy activities are in line with our public position and the Paris Agreement ". Rio Tinto is committed to "recognizing the valuable contribution of renewable energy in reducing emissions" and "not undermining their role in the energy mix". Rio Tinto "will also support the government's emissions reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement" "And support" a technology-neutral approach "for the future of the global energy mix, where" no technology will not be put forward compared to others ".

The latter certainly allows Rio Tinto not to be forced to engage resolutely in the field of renewable energy, but when this policy is implemented not to "undermine" the role of renewable energy, we should congratulate on his commitment. .

With respect to Rio Tinto 's membership in the Australian industry associations, the company "will publicly oppose coal subsidies" and will ensure that "any advocacy on the part of long-term coal use takes into account the fact that it will require advanced technology, and medium-term ". in the long term must be compatible with the Paris objectives. "

Rio Tinto will also re-evaluate its relationship with industry associations that do not associate with it "in order to advance the political agenda in accordance with these principles".

Rio Tinto has already reduced the intensity of its greenhouse gas emissions below its target of 76% set for 2020 (the target was to reduce by 24%), from 71.1% to the end of 2018 on the basis of 2008, while 71% of the consumption already comes from renewable sources of energy. In 2018, Rio Tinto's total greenhouse gas emissions were 27.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e), compared with 33.8 million tCO2e in 2014.

Keywords: Australia, Mining, Mining Company, Mining Emissions, Rio Tinto