SQM joins Race to Zero
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
Global Mining Review,
SQM, one of the leading global producers of world-class lithium, based in the Salar de Atacama in Chile, has joined the Race to Zero programme as part of their ‘Business Ambition for 1.5°C’ campaign science-based targets (SBTi) initiative.
As part of the campaign, SQM is committing to the goal of reducing emissions across all its activities in line with the Paris Agreement, with transparent action plans and robust near-term targets.
Race to Zero is a UN global movement that brings together non-state actors across the global economy to take immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 and deliver a healthier, fairer zero carbon world in time. The Business Ambition campaign is the world’s largest and fastest-growing group of companies that will seek to limit global warming to 1.5°C and halve global emissions by 2030.
By participating in the Race to Zero, SQM will have to fulfil four requirements:
- Pledge: pledge to reach (net)-zero as soon as possible and set an interim target for its fair share of 50% reduction by 2030 (Scope 1 and 2).
- Plan: within 24 months of joining, explain what actions will be taken for achieving both interim and longer-term pledges.
- Proceed: take immediate, meaningful action consistent with the short- and long-term targets specified.
- Publish: report progress annually by publishing against its targets on a public platform.
SQM has already begun exploring its options for making its logistics routes low carbon, by introducing Chile’s first high-tonnage electric truck to be used in large-scale mining onto an 86-km route from the company’s Coya Sur plant in María Elena to the port of Tocopilla. The 90 diesel trucks which currently make this journey cover an estimated 7500 km per month.
Switching SQM’s fleet of 320 diesel trucks to e-trucks would eliminate approximately 3840 tpy of carbon dioxide.
SQM is currently testing the range, capacity and operability of the trucks, which were designed by Enel X.
If the project is successful, the e-trucks will also be introduced onto the Salar de Atacama-Carmen Lithium Chemical Plant route. This is the highest traffic route for the lithium process, with 230 trucks in service.
Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/environment-sustainability/09112021/sqm-joins-race-to-zero/
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