Climate change

Greenhouse gase emissions from human activities are contributing to climate change. Read about RTIO's position on climate change and actions here.

To address the challenge of climate change the Rio Tinto Group is committed to:

increasing the efficient use of energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of product

• working with customers to improve the use of products through their life cycle
• technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from processes and the use of Rio Tinto products
• continuing to participate constructively in the ongoing international and national climate change policy debates
• ensuring the specific actions taken have social, environmental and economic value.

Further information about Rio Tinto's position on climate change is available here.

In 2005, a Rio Tinto Climate Change Leadership Panel was established to develop, guide and provide coordination on a Group-wide climate change action plan. All Rio Tinto product groups, including the iron ore group, and relevant corporate functions including health, safety, environment, technology, finance and external relations are represented on the panel.

In 2006, Rio Tinto adopted a climate change plan which includes corporate and business unit actions to address the themes of reducing emissions from our operations, understanding and developing low emission product pathways and engaging with governments and stakeholders.

Rio Tinto has a 2008 greenhouse emissions reduction target of four per cent per tonne of product from 2003 to 2008 and a global energy efficiency target, which is five per cent per tonne of product.

Climate change and Rio Tinto Iron Ore

The overall Rio Tinto climate change plan is underpinned by climate change programmes for every Rio Tinto product group. The Rio Tinto Iron Ore climate change work programme was developed in 2006. The RTIO business units of Expansion Projects, Pilbara Iron, HIsmelt and Iron Ore Company of Canada formed a working group to develop the plan, involving a comprehensive assessment of risks and opportunities. The result is a working document for these RTIO businesses that contributes to the broader Rio Tinto's climate change targets and commitments.