As demand for copper, nickel, and cobalt grows with countries shifting towards cleaner energy, the energy-intensive mining processes needed to extract these minerals point to the sector’s dual role in the global energy transition, balancing essential resource supply with significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
A recent report, “Decarbonization of the Mining Sector: Scoping Study on the Role of Mining in Nationally Determined Contributions,” by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) examines this critical balance.
Authored by Famke Schaap and Astrid Karamira, the report draws on case studies from Chile, Indonesia, and South Africa, highlighting the sector’s contribution to GHG emissions and the challenges these countries face in aligning their mining operations with international climate goals. Despite the growing demand for critical minerals, the report cautions against a hasty expansion of mining activities without a parallel commitment to decarbonization.
Calling for a balanced approach to mining sector decarbonization, the report recommends policies that integrate the sector into national and international frameworks around climate commitments, specifically the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The report also emphasizes the importance of high-quality data and transparency in tracking emissions and the role of businesses in committing to meaningful climate action.
Prescribing that the mining sector evolve rapidly to meet the dual challenge of supporting global energy transition while minimizing its own environmental footprint, the authors write:
“Decarbonization of the Mining Sector: Scoping Study on the Role of Mining in Nationally Determined Contributions,” by Famke Schaap & Astrid Karamira. Report, Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals & Sustainable Development (IGF), August 7, 2024.
“It is important to ensure that the increased demand for minerals and metals needed for the energy transition does not compromise the climate ambitions of resource-rich countries. With more ambitious energy transition scenarios come higher demand for minerals and hence higher energy needs, which may in turn translate into higher GHG emissions if decarbonization of the mining sector does not become a priority. In fact, understanding the emission footprint of any new low-GHG-emission technology should become a precondition to the decarbonization of other economic sectors if one wants to avoid the “whack-a-mole” effect.”
Download the full report originally published by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals & Sustainable Development on August 7, 2024.
