THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE MINING SECTOR

The report examines how the mining industry must balance the surge in demand for critical minerals needed for low-carbon technologies with the necessity of reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate-driven risks like water scarcity and tailings dam failures.

• The transition to a low-carbon economy significantly increases the demand for minerals and metals; for instance, electric vehicles require six times more metals than conventional cars, and onshore wind plants require nine times more mineral resources than gas-fired power plants.
• Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is a critical short-term source of raw materials, contributing an estimated 10%–15% of global cobalt production and offering faster production ramp-up than large-scale mining.
• The mining industry contributes 2%–3% of global carbon emissions, with 40%–50% of these emissions originating from diesel used in mobile equipment (Scope 1) and 30%–35% from non-renewable electricity (Scope 2).
• Major industry players are setting decarbonization targets, with the International Council on Mining and Metals committing to net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050 or sooner, while companies like BHP and Vale target a 30% reduction by 2030.
• Climate change increases the risk of tailings dam failures, and the industry must assess over 15,000 closed tailings dams to mitigate risks to workers, communities, and the environment.
• Water management is becoming increasingly challenging for mining operations, which rely on water for ore crushing, washing, drilling, dust control, and cooling.

APA

Bellois, G. (2022). THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE MINING SECTOR. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/impacts-climate-change-mining-sector.pdf

Chicago

Bellois, Grégoire. THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE MINING SECTOR. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/impacts-climate-change-mining-sector.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bellois |first1=Grégoire |title=THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE MINING SECTOR |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/impacts-climate-change-mining-sector.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bellois2022impacts, author = {Bellois, Grégoire}, title = {{THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE MINING SECTOR}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/impacts-climate-change-mining-sector.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }