Today we live in an era where concern about climate change has moved from conversations to actions; actions that will change the way we live, work and do business.

Reducing society’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions to meet net zero targets will require a radical transformation. In the UK, for instance, the Government recently committed itself to achieve a 78% reduction in GHG emissions by 2035 (from 1990 levels).

That’s going to require new technologies, a host of green innovations and different consumer choices.

There’s a strong possibility that the next new car you buy will be an electric vehicle. In the future you’ll probably make fewer car journeys, walk and cycle more, and make better use of public transport (which could be fuelled by hydrogen instead of diesel).

Our reliance on single use plastics and landfilling rubbish will also need to reduce. We’ll have to find better ways to heat our homes, retrofit and build houses to conserve more energy and make more use of renewable energy sources such as solar power and heat pumps rather than oil and gas. Businesses will need to take more responsibility for the waste they produce and how items are manufactured.

There will also be major implications for farmers. Northern Ireland’s agri-sector accounts for 30% of our GHGs compared to 10% in the rest of the UK. Part of the solution will be to plant a lot more trees (we have 40% less tree coverage than the UK average). In addition to producing fewer GHGs, we’ll also need new ways to capture and store carbon.

Over the coming years these actions will create a green revolution. It will bring change, but it will also deliver a cleaner, greener and healthier environment, plus a host of new industries and technologies that will create green jobs.

Critical Role of Mining

The green revolution has major implications for the global mining sector, both as an energy user which needs to transition to renewables and as a vital part of the solution – the shift to renewable technologies demands higher production of critical minerals such as copper.

Dalradian has already secured carbon neutral accreditation for its existing operations (2019) and is committed to become Europe’s first carbon neutral mine. We’ve bought our first electric vehicle and switched to renewable electricity.

Our proposed underground gold-copper-silver mine was modified to proactively reduce our carbon footprint through measures such as replacing some trucks with conveyors and the use of biodiesel and electric vehicles wherever possible. This focus on improvement and emissions reduction will continue throughout operations as new technologies become available.

Other firms based in Tyrone, such as CDE, Terex and Sandvik, are already trialling new electric mine trucks or are adopting a more sustainable approach to business.

Our ambition is to work with them and other suppliers in the mining sector to develop and deploy new technologies.

By continuing to innovate and change we can positively change the world around us.

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