At South32, just four operations (Worsley Alumina, Illawarra Metallurgical Coal and our two aluminium smelters in Southern Africa) accounted for approximately 90 per cent of our Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2021. Holly Buschman, Vice President Sustainability Strategy & Community, South32
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s South32’s Vice President Sustainability Strategy & Community, Holly Buschman supports delivery of South32’s commitment to continually improve sustainability performance globally. She has accountability for the strategic design of the company’s approach to climate change, social performance and sustainability-related reporting and disclosures. Energy and Mines: How is the focus on climate change and ESG driving energy and mobility decisions for mining operations? Holly Buschman: There is no doubt that climate change and ESG are playing a key role in decision-making in our industry. At South32, we are sustainably reshaping our business through the lens of our climate commitments by increasing our exposure to the base metals critical in the transition to a low-carbon world. We produce the commodities needed for a low-carbon future and are investing further in base metals leveraged to the global transition. We have a goal of achieving net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and have set a target to halve our operational 8
greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. We are directing capital towards projects that will help us achieve these targets. As a diversified mining and metals company operating in a number of jurisdictions, our decarbonisation plans include a broad range of options, shaped by different mining and processing methods, energy markets and regulations. At some of our operations we have the opportunity to decarbonise through processing or efficiency improvements, while for our refineries and smelters, the focus is procuring low-carbon energy and evaluating new technologies. EandM: How is the drive to decarbonise shifting the thinking and approach to renewable energy for mining? HB: Our short-term emissions reduction activities are focused on process and energy efficiency projects. Over the medium to longer term, we are focused on the transition of our energy intensive assets to lower carbon alternatives. For example, studies are underway at Worsley Alumina for the transition from coal to gas as an interim step, followed by the potential deployment of renewable energy as these options become technically and commercially feasible. At Hillside Aluminium, we are working with ENERGY AND MINES MAGAZINE
