The Chair and the Secretary of the UNECE Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane and Just Transition participated in the session on Net Zero Mining and Energy Transition Agenda held within the Framework of MINEX Europe 2023. During the event they delivered a joint presentation titled Coal mining as a multi-purpose platform serving the needs of the emerging clean energy economies (please see below in the "Presentations" section).
Apart from the representatives of the Group of Experts the session featured the following speakers:
- David Pearce, Principal Mining Engineer, SRK Consulting (UK) (Moderator).
- Mark Burnett, Interim Europe Regional Director, The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)
- Bernhard Maier, Counsel, Signature
- Robert Ostrowski, Chief Financial Officer, JSW
- Jonny Witter, Principal Consultant, MTS
MINEX
Founded in 2015, MINEX Europe Forum offers a platform for the dissemination of innovative technologies and for promoting investment opportunities and best practices for mining and exploration across Europe.
The previous editions of the conferencehave taken place in Austria, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Albania bringing together local and international companies to foster cross-border discussions on the advancement of sustainable mining and mineral exploration throughout Europe
Content
The EU has recently set a target of producing at least 40% of the products it needs for "net-zero" technologies, such as solar power or fuel cells, by 2030. The Mining and Metals industry would need to take decisive action to achieve the EU's climate goals, and stakeholders would need to address several hurdles to accelerate the transition. To meet climate targets, the industry must develop and commercialise new low-CO2 technologies within the next 5-10 years.
The session addressed the following matters:
- The role of the mining industry in achieving global net-zero emissions by 2050 and how to ensure its success in the energy transition.
- Challenges faced by the mining industry in achieving net-zero emissions and how to address them
- Strategies for increasing investment in clean technologies and decarbonising the mining sector
- Carbon reduction planning and how this is in the process of being linked to International Reporting codes (e.g. JORC etc) required in the future for Resource and Reserve statements.
- Opportunities for innovation in the mining industry to support the energy transition agenda
- Case studies of successful net-zero initiatives and their potential application to the mining industry