
Creating the zero-carbon mine
Despite a daunting timeline, zero-carbon mines are within reach if the right solutions are implemented. The mining industry is at a tipping point where sustainability and decarbonization are top items on CEOs’ agendas. To achieve a 1.5°C climate-change target by 2050, the mining industry will need to reduce direct CO2 emissions to zero. Encouragingly, our analysis shows that solutions to decarbonize the majority of emissions will become economic within this decade, addressing both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The mining industry contributes 2 to 3 percent of global CO2 emissions and has a large role to play in emissions reduction. Within the industry, much of the focus to date has been on portfolio shifts (that is, divestment of coal assets); however, the industry is facing increasing pressure from regulators, investors, and customers to decarbonize operations. The sustainability of miners is increasingly a focus for the capital markets, with access to capital