Sustainability Within the scope
While mining companies are unilaterally taking steps to address their Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), challenges still abound over how to tackle Scope 3. Elly Earls speaks to Christian Spano, director of innovation at the International Council on Mining and Metals, to hear about the steps the organisation is taking to set credible targets for emissions across the value chain, and how they plan to overcome the technological and collaborative barriers in their way.
s the world grows increasingly concerned by the ongoing effects of climate change, greater scrutiny is being placed on the industries regarded as key contributors, the mining sector included. In particular, industrial greenhouse gas emissions have drawn considerable ire over the past few years, which has led to mining operators taking concrete steps to address their Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which cover direct emissions from operations and indirect emissions from power generation. Major mining companies, including some of the biggest names in the sector, have committed to net zero by 2050 or sooner. However, challenges still abound over how to tackle Scope 3, which encompasses all other indirect emissions across the value chain. For large iron ore producers such as Rio Tinto and BHP, the majority of their Scope 3 emissions come from steel mills in China and East Asia that use metallurgical coal. At the other end of the spectrum, mining businesses also generate Scope 3 emissions indirectly when they send their employees on commercial flights. The use of sold products is category 11 of Scope 3 and typically accounts for over 95% of total GHG emissions associated with coal mining companies. Within mining, Scope 1 and 2 emissions account for 4–7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, according to estimates from McKinsey & Company, this figure rises to 28% of global emissions when accounting for Scope 3.
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Unfortunately, as it is difficult to influence the actions of players across the value chain, many companies in the mining industry are yet to reach the point of setting targets for Scope 3 emissions, let alone getting close to reaching them. It’s a good thing, then, that the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) is on the case. Member companies of the industry body, which is dedicated to the sustainable development of the mining sector, have committed to creating credible Scope 3 targets – if not by the end of 2023, then as soon as possible. “When we say credible, it means credible from a technical point of view – so we’re measuring and reporting the things we should measure and report – but also credible in that it’s using a methodology that critical stakeholders, such as regulators, financial backers and all the stakeholders in the value chain buying the minerals and metals, can use and recognise as valid,” explains Christian Spano, director of innovation at the ICMM.
World Mining Frontiers /
www.nsenergybusiness.com
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