Climate change
Rio Tinto accepts the need for climate change action and recognises the issue as being one of our greatest challenges and opportunities.
We believe that emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) resulting from human activities are contributing to climate change and that avoiding human caused changes to the climate is an important international goal.
Our businesses have a positive future in a world that is working to a global carbon constraints. We recognise that addressing the challenge of climate change will impose costs for GHG abatement and necessitate a change in the way the world uses energy. We support efficient, effective and equitable measures to tackle climate change, which promise a comprehensive, long term response to a globally complex problem. We accept the need for a price on carbon. See our position on climate change.
- Approach
- Product lifecycle
- Engagement
- Results
We continue to expand our understanding of the impact of our products along the value chain, including their production, transportation and use. We seek ways to lower our on site emissions. Where we can influence our customers, we work to develop efficient downstream processes. In use, our metals and minerals can also bring energy and emissions benefits.
Our operations
Where our activities are an energy intensive part of the product lifecycle, we seek to improve our performance. For example, Rio Tinto Alcan is a leader in the development of energy efficient aluminium smelting technology and a significant proportion of our aluminium smelters are powered with low carbon, hydro or nuclear power sources.
Product end uses
Rio Tinto's products will remain essential for development and the low carbon infrastructure of the future. For example:
- Uranium is used in low carbon power generation.
- Our high purity ductile iron is used in the production of wind turbines.
- The high strength to weight ratio of aluminium allows its use to make cars lighter and reduce the amount of fuel used during their operation, it can also be efficiently recycled.
- Copper is used in high efficiency electrical motors.
- Increased electrification is a cost effective contributor to GHG emissions abatement.
Due to global demand, coal is likely to remain a significant source of energy for the foreseeable future. We are therefore investing in developing and commercialising carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. We are a founding member of the Global CCS Institute and we support other collaborative efforts to deploy CCS technology, such as the CO2CRC's Otway Basin geosequestration project in Australia.
