Tag Archives: GHG

ICMM members pledge to reach ‘net zero’ by 2050 or sooner

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Members of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) have committed to a goal of net zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 or sooner, in line with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement.

This landmark commitment was made in an open letter signed by the CEOs of ICMM’s company members.

Although the companies within ICMM have individual decarbonisation targets, which in some cases go beyond ICMM’s collective commitment, this represents a joint ambition.

“The rate and nature of the ultimate decline in emissions will vary across the different commodities and geographies represented by our diverse membership,” the ICMM says. “Yet our approach to individually setting and meeting targets will be consistent and include the following, no later than the end of 2023 where these do not already exist:

  • “Setting Scope 1 and 2 targets: we will build clear pathways to achieving net zero Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2050 or sooner, through meaningful short and/or medium-term target;
  • “Accelerating action on Scope 3 GHG emissions: we recognise that Scope 3 is critical to minimising our overall impact and we will set Scope 3 targets, if not by the end of 2023, as soon as possible. Although all Scope 3 action depends on the combined efforts of producers, suppliers and customers, some commodities face greater technological and collaborative barriers than others. We will play a leading role in overcoming these barriers and advancing partnerships that enable credible target setting and emission reductions across value chains;
  • “Covering all material sources: our targets will cover all material sources of emissions, aligning to the GHG Protocol definition of organisational boundaries and materiality;
  • “Focusing on absolute reductions: for some operations, intensity rather than absolute targets may be more appropriate in the short and medium term. Where intensity targets are used, we will disclose the corresponding absolute increase or decrease in GHG emissions;
  • “Applying robust methodologies: we will use target-setting methodologies that are aligned with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and disclose in detail the assumptions we use; and
  • “Disclosing openly and transparently: we will report our progress on Scopes 1, 2 and 3 annually, obtain external verification over our performance, and report in alignment with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.”

These commitments are additional to and have been incorporated into an update of ICMM’s Climate Change Position Statement which had several pre-existing commitments on performance and disclosure. Action on climate change is an integral part of ICMM’s Mining Principles, representing the comprehensive commitment to a responsible mining and metals industry, it says.

Rohitesh Dhawan, CEO, ICMM, said: “As the suppliers of the minerals and metals that are critical to decarbonisation and sustainable development, we have a particular responsibility to minimise the impact of our operations on the environment. ICMM members’ collective commitment to net zero Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2050 is a pivotal moment in our history. We are speaking with one voice, representing approximately one third of the global mining and metals industry – including more than 650 sites in over 50 countries – so that we drive emissions reduction at a significant scale.

“ICMM members have and will continue to set meaningful short and/or medium-term targets to build clear pathways to achieving this goal, while also accelerating action on addressing Scope 3 emissions and enhancing disclosure. We encourage other mining and metals companies, suppliers and customers to join us in decarbonising commodity value chains so that we collectively accelerate climate action in our wider industry.”

Gonzalo Muñoz, UNFCCC High Level Climate Action Champion, added: “I welcome the leadership and joint ambition of ICMM members to commit to a goal of net-zero Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2050 or sooner, and I strongly encourage companies to set scope 3 GHG emissions reduction targets by the end of 2023. The High-Level Climate Action Champions encourage members to strive to set the most ambitious science-based targets possible in line with the criteria of the Race to Zero campaign.”

New initiative to track GHG emissions in materials supply chain

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Rocky Mountain Institute, MIT Sustainable Supply Chains, the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, and the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines have announced the Coalition on Materials Emissions Transparency (COMET).

This effort aims to build a standard method for measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in materials, “an important step in decarbonising mineral and industrial supply chains”, the partners said.

The COMET method will provide insight into the carbon content of consumer products like cars, buildings, and phones, and will help both corporations and consumers purchase materials and products with fewer embedded CO2 emissions, according to the partners.

Paolo Natali, Director of the Materials Initiative at Rocky Mountain Institute, said: “We all know that you can’t manage what you can’t measure. Until people know the climate impact of the products they’re using, it will be impossible for them to demand lower-carbon goods, and it will be impossible to decarbonise the industrial sectors that are responsible for 40% of annual greenhouse gas emissions.”

While climate disclosure is increasing, it remains a challenge to compare greenhouse gas emissions across companies and supply chains, the partners said. “There is currently no consistency in data collection or reporting across methods, and no framework that spans the entire supply chain,” they said. “This means there is no universally accepted way to know the emissions intensity of products or materials.”

The COMET method will change that by making GHG disclosure comparable across the existing reporting mechanisms and helping to develop a clear picture of emissions from the production of key materials like steel, copper, and cement, it said.

Suzanne Greene, Program Manager for MIT Sustainable Supply Chains, said: “Our ultimate goal is transparency of climate impacts across the supply chain. An emissions calculation method for mineral and industrial supply chains is an important first step for consumers and investors to understand and drive the decarbonisation of the goods we use every day.”

COMET will initially focus on developing sector-specific guidance for metals and minerals.

Zenith Energy and Independence celebrate solar start up at Nova

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Operations at Independence Group’s Nova nickel-copper-cobalt operation in the Fraser Range of Australia are now being powered by a mix of diesel and solar energy after the on-site hybrid solar PV-diesel facility started up.

Zenith Energy’s wholly owned subsidiary, Zenith Pacific, built the plant. The ASX-listed power company also owns and operates the facility, which, it said, is already exceeding performance targets for power output and energy efficiency.

The two signed a contract back in 2018, amending an existing power purchase agreement.

Within the 26.6 MW facility is 5.5 MW of state-of-the-art photovoltaic (PV) modules, single axis tracking, inverters and communications and control system technology, according to Zenith Energy’s Managing Director, Hamish Moffat. The system also features high-efficiency diesel-fuelled generators that combine with this control system to optimise solar and diesel power delivery.

Moffat said: “The proprietary hybrid system developed by the company is able to seamlessly manage the fluctuations in solar PV energy production to provide smooth, reliable power, without the need for batteries to stabilise energy delivery to Nova.”

He explained that batteries have their place in energy systems but are still expensive to deploy for these applications.

“Our unique, locally developed hybrid system eliminates the need for batteries and represents a major step forward in the capital cost optimisation, operating efficiency and environmental performance of solar PV hybrid energy systems in remote locations,” he added.

According to Moffat, the system is saving Nova in the order of 6,500 litres of diesel a day, and it is the first hybrid solar PV-diesel installation to have been funded on a commercial, standalone basis – without any government subsidies.

IGO’s Chief Operating Officer, Matt Dusci, said: “At IGO we are striving to reduce our carbon footprint. The implementation of new technologies with the construction of a hybrid‐solar system at Nova will enable IGO to reduce our CO2-equivalent emissions by approximately 6,500 t per annum. The solar facility will also decrease our cost structure through reductions in our diesel fuel usage.”

As part of an agreement between the two companies, Zenith will supply power from the solar PV‐diesel hybrid system for an initial six‐year period, with an option for Independence to extend for a further two years.

Nova is expected to produce 6,750-7,500 t of nickel concentrate in the year ending June 30, 2020, alongside 2,750-3,125 t of copper concentrate and 213-238 t of cobalt concentrate, according to the miner’s September quarter results.