Twenty-seven of the world’s leading mining and metals companies and 36 associations are committed to climate change solutions through their membership of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), Engineering News & Mining Weekly can today report.

The ICMM is an international organisation dedicated to a safe, fair and sustainable mining and metals industry and, through its climate change position statement, all members commit themselves to reducing emissions and supporting a low-carbon future.

“Our company members understand the urgent need for a global response to the threat of climate change and our mining principles, alongside our position statement on climate change, clearly articulate their commitments,” ICMM CEO Tom Butler stated.

Among the top mining company members are South Africa’s African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick, Glencore, Gold Fields, Sibanye-Stillwater, BHP, Rio Tinto, Newmont, Vale, Newcrest and South32.

he organisation’s four principles relevant to climate change are:

• implementing effective risk-management strategies and systems based on sound science and which account for stakeholder perceptions of risks;
• pursuing continual improvement in environmental performance issues, such as water stewardship, energy use and climate change;
• facilitating and supporting the knowledge base and systems for responsible design, use, reuse, recycling and disposal of products containing metals and minerals; and
• proactively engaging key stakeholders on sustainable development challenges and opportunities in an open and transparent manner, while effectively reporting and independently verifying progress and performance.

The ICMM’s climate change position statement also commits company members to:

• implementing governance and disclosure processes to ensure that climate change risks and opportunities are considered in business decision-making;
• engaging with host communities on shared climate change risks and opportunities, and helping communities understand how they can better adapt to the physical impacts of climate change;
• disclosing Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse-gas emissions on an annual basis and setting emissions reduction targets at corporate level;
• supporting efforts to mitigate greenhouse-gas emissions in collaboration with peers by promoting innovation, developing and deploying low-emissions technology, and implementing projects that improve energy efficiency and incorporate renewable- energy supply in the energy mix;
• supporting predictable long-term carbon pricing and other market mechanisms, with the potential to incentivise innovation and deliver the least-cost pathways to emissions reductions; and
• engaging with external parties to determine a preferred approach to reporting Scope 3 emissions.