Reports

Net Zero Roadmap for Copper and Nickel

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment; Carbon Trust; RMI; The Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines

Copper and nickel are key components of green energy technologies needed to combat climate change, including solar panels, batteries, and wind turbines. According to the roadmap, the world will need to increase copper and nickel production by 200–300 percent to reach global climate targets by 2050. But emissions from copper and mineral production processes are expected to double by 2050 unless a decarbonization transformation takes place. Decarbonization of the mineral sector will be important to ensure that end-users and consumers are able to meet their own Scope 3 net-zero targets.

The new roadmap addresses the greenhouse gas emissions from mining and processing operations, outlining tangible decarbonization actions the industry can take to cut emissions by 90 percent and reach net-zero emissions goals by 2050. It offers a range of solutions, including renewable and low-carbon technologies, energy efficiency, and digitization. Designed to encourage cross-industry collaboration among mining value chain companies, policymakers, and sustainable finance investors, the roadmap identifies ways to realize potential environmental and social benefits and highlights opportunities to invest in technological innovation.

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More About This Work

Academic Units
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Publisher
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Published Here
February 9, 2023