Greenhouse emissions by gas type
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the dominant type of greenhouse gas in Rio Tinto's total emissions inventory (91 per cent). Methane (eight per cent) is the second largest greenhouse gas.
- There has been virtually no change in relative distribution of emissions by gas type since 2004.
- More than 98 per cent of methane (CH4) emissions are from coal seam gas. The remaining two percent is emitted during the combustion of fuels, from landfills (from anaerobic decomposition of organic matter) and from livestock.
- The rate of emissions of perfluorocarbons (PFC) per tonne of metal, resulting from aluminium smelting, increased by 17 per cent since 2004 and increased 29 per cent relative to 2001.
- Other gases (accounting for less than one per cent of the total) include nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions resulting from natural gas consumption.
Total greenhouse emissions by gas type in 2005
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