BHP makes $400m emissions pledge
LONDON: Leading resources company BHP will invest $400 million (R5.6 billion) over five years to reduce emissions, it said yesterday, becoming the first miner to pledge to tackle pollution caused when customers use its products.
BHP is the world’s biggest listed miner and biggest coking coal producer. Combined with iron ore, also mined by BHP, coking coal is used to make steel, producing millions of tons of CO2. From next year it will set a medium-term, science-based decarbonisation target and increase focus on Scope 3 emissions.
Emissions are categorised: Scope 1 and 2 cover a firm’s direct and indirect emissions generated by power it buys to run operations. Scope 3 occur when a firm’s products are used, as in steelmaking.