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Rio Tinto's climate change programme is based on identifying and addressing risks and taking advantage of opportunities.

We engage with governments and stakeholders to advocate sound and efficient domestic and international policies as part of our strategy. And in 2004, we joined the Energy Futures Forum (EEF) - a research initiative with the goal of exploring the future of Australia's stationary energy and transport industries in relation to climate change. Forum members were a combination of government, non government and industry organisations.

In 2006, the forum published its final report: The heat is on: the future of energy in Australia. This contribution to the climate change debate in Australia provides information that needs to be considered in any serious contemplation of climate change - on Australia's energy sector, threats and opportunities and public perceptions. The report does not recommend policy.

Identifying potential impacts

Researchers identified plausible scenarios for energy use in Australia in 2050 and considered their implications. For the first time in this sector the analysis tool integrated economic and technology models. The scenarios identified potential energy, industry and technology pathways and highlighted potential impacts to society, the environment and the economy.

The Energy Futures Forum was instigated by CSIRO (Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation). Major contributions were made by ABARE (the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics) and various Australian and international sociological and environmental studies.

Download a copy of The heat is on: the future of energy in Australia

Other companies of the Energy Futures Forum are Alcoa, Origin Energy, Xtrata, Woodside, BHP, Loy Yang Power, Hydro Tasmania, Delta, Orica, Stanwell Corporation, Macquarie Generation, PIAC, Eraring Energy, Pacific Hydro, ACOSS, Australian Automotive Association, ACTU, and WWF.