PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner BHP on Tuesday released its Climate Transition Action Plan, outlining the company’s updated approach to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and managing climate risks across its global value chain. 

“The Climate Transition Action Plan outlines BHP’s role and actions in helping the world achieve its decarbonisation ambitions, our strategic approach to reducing operational emissions to net zero by 2050, and how we will work with customers and suppliers to support their own reductions to progress towards the long-term goal of net zero in our value chain,” said CEO Mike Henry.

“It builds on our demonstrated, decades-long commitment to addressing climate change including setting operational emissions targets, undertaking scenario analysis - including potential impacts of a transition to a 1.5 ^oC world, and investing in the technologies, products and services that support decarbonisation.

“Our aim is to position BHP to thrive in a low-carbon world by minimising emissions from existing products while providing the commodities the world needs to achieve a net zero future. We are committed to playing our part through meaningful action in our value chain, continued support for low-carbon technology solutions and advocating for policy outcomes that enhance the global response to climate change.”

BHP’s climate change approach focuses on reducing operational GHG emissions, investing in low emissions technologies, supporting emission reductions in its value chain, promoting product stewardship, managing climate-related risk and opportunity, and partnering with others to enhance the global policy and market response.

The Action Plan encompasses BHP’s existing climate change position and commitments for operational and value chain emission reductions and sets out the long-term goal of net zero Scope 3 GHG emissions by 2050 to support the transition that the world must make.

BHP will target net zero by 2050 for GHG emissions from all shipping of its products, subject to the widespread availability of carbon neutral solutions including low/zero-emission technology on board suitable ships and low/zero-emission marine fuels.

For the short term, the company will maintain its total operational emissions at or below 2017 levels by 2022, while continuing to grow its business. For the medium-term, BHP is targeting reducing operational emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.