Rio Tinto, the Anglo-Australian mining and metal company, has announced that it aims to reduce its absolute emissions by 4.8mn mt, or 30pc, by 2030.
Rio Tinto chief executive, Jean-Sébastien Jacques, speaking at a webinar on climate and water, organised by the company, said that the company aims to achieve the targeted zero net carbon emissions by 2050 and this required a collaborative effort across the company’s value chain.
The CEO said that the target cannot be achieved without influencing downstream consumers.
The company’s top officials shared that the company wants to move away from carbon-based energy sources in the aluminium and steel sectors.
In the aluminium sector, Rio Tinto aims to reduce carbon emission in refining and smelting, looking to achieve 70pc of its emission reduction target.
Both, refining and aluminium smelting, are energy intensive, high-temperature processes.
The company official further stated that the company has developed a carbon-free aluminium processing technology called ‘Elysis’, with Alcoa.
Nigel Steward, Rio Tinto’s head of group technical, shared that Apple, recently, bought the first batch of Elysis aluminium.
Elysis will be retrofitted into existing smelters apart from being used in new ones, informed Steward.
The top officials shared that the company reduced its carbon footprint by 65pc, shutting down a coal-fired plant at the Kennecott copper mines in Utah. The company has also purchased a renewable energy certification to this effect.