Why RTA is involved in Future Reef

Climate change, and society’s response to its current and future impacts, is a first order risk to Rio Tinto’s aluminium business. The Future Reef partnership allows RTA to add to the scientific knowledge about climate change and to contribute to the development of management systems supporting sustainable use of the Great Barrier Reef. RTA’s “footprint” in Queensland is almost exactly aligned with the Great Barrier Reef.

The business ships its products and raw materials through the Reef and its main concentration of assets is located around Gladstone – the gateway to the Reef. The partnership provides an opportunity for employees to learn more about climate change and encourages them to drive energy efficiency across the aluminium business. Since 1990, RTA has reduced emissions from its smelters by 57 per cent per tonne of aluminium produced and achieved an 88 per cent decrease in perfluorocarbon emissions – an extremely potent greenhouse gas produced during the smelting process.