Carbon Footprint — Operations: How does Rio Tinto score?

Rio Tinto reports comprehensive Scope 1 and 2 emissions using GHG Protocol methodology, with 2025 gross Scope 1 and 2 emissions at 31.5 Mt CO₂e (2025 Annual Report / Sustainability Fact Book). Emissions are broken down by asset and product group, with third-party assurance and multi-year tracking since 2018 baseline. However, emissions remain among the highest of any mining peer globally — ACCR notes Rio Tinto remains the highest Scope 1 & 2 emitter among diversified mining peers.

Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain: How does Rio Tinto score?

Rio Tinto discloses Scope 3 emissions at 575.7 Mt CO₂e (2025), with detailed methodology identifying that 95% stems from customer processing of products — particularly iron ore (69%) and bauxite/alumina (23%). A dedicated Scope 1, 2 and 3 Emissions Calculation and Climate Methodology document is published annually. However, despite this disclosure, Rio Tinto has no overall medium or long-term Scope 3 reduction target, and ACCR analysis confirms Scope 3 emissions have not dropped since 2020, with

Emissions Trajectory: How does Rio Tinto score?

Scope 1 and 2 emissions have declined 14% from the 2018 baseline of 36.7 Mt to 31.5 Mt in 2025, but progress has slowed — emissions fell by just 0.2 Mt from 2024 to 2025, with increased production in iron ore and copper partly offsetting reductions. Critically, Scope 3 emissions have not fallen and have actually increased since 2020 (from ~395.9 Mt in 2024 to 575.7 Mt including all categories). Rio Tinto has also used carbon offsets to meet its near-term Scope 1 & 2 targets, with net emissions r

Energy Source: How does Rio Tinto score?

Approximately 78% of Rio Tinto's global electricity comes from renewable sources, primarily from hydropower at its aluminium smelters in Canada and Iceland. The company is targeting 90% renewable by 2030 and has signed Australia's largest renewable PPAs — a 1.4 GW wind PPA with Windlab and a 1.1 GW solar PPA with European Energy for its Gladstone operations. It has also signed a 15-year VPPA for wind energy in the US for Kennecott. However, the Gladstone projects are still in development (comple

Nature & Biodiversity Impact: How does Rio Tinto score?

Rio Tinto has a 'no net loss' biodiversity ambition and has completed risk and impact assessments for 100% of high-priority biodiversity sites and 86% of all sites. It has invested in REDD+ projects ($16M in Makira Natural Park, Madagascar) and partners with BirdLife International, WCS, and others. However, the company's total disturbed land area is 384,800 hectares, it generated 977 million tonnes of mineral waste in 2023, and it faces serious ongoing criticisms: the Juukan Gorge sacred site de

Resource Use & Waste: How does Rio Tinto score?

Rio Tinto generated 977 million tonnes of mineral waste in 2023 (99% non-hazardous). The company has some circular economy initiatives — bauxite residue processing, waste rock reuse — but operates a fundamentally linear extraction model. It rehabilitated 55,200 hectares of land in 2023 against 384,800 hectares disturbed. Tailings management is a risk area. The company has internal environmental standards and works with ICMM, Copper Mark and the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative. However, the Worl

Water Impact: How does Rio Tinto score?

Rio Tinto withdraws approximately 1,147 gigalitres of water annually (2025, down from 1,250 GL in 2024), with freshwater withdrawals at 386 GL. Water recycling increased to 374 GL. The company has site-specific water targets (e.g., QMM Madagascar water strategy) and discloses catchment-level data through a public water disclosure platform. However, ~10% of sites are in high or extremely high water-stress regions (e.g., Oyu Tolgoi, Mongolia). The company has documented water pollution incidents:

Targets & Commitments: How does Rio Tinto score?

Rio Tinto has set absolute Scope 1 and 2 reduction targets of 15% by 2025 and 50% by 2030 (from 2018 baseline), and net zero by 2050. It has committed $5-6B in decarbonisation investment. However, SBTi targets are NOT validated — the company committed but paused the validation process, citing challenges with Scope 3 target setting for the mining sector. Critically, Rio Tinto has NO Scope 3 reduction target despite Scope 3 representing ~95% of total emissions. ACCR analysis confirms the company h

Transparency & Accountability: How does Rio Tinto score?

Rio Tinto publishes a comprehensive annual sustainability report, Climate Action Plan (updated every 3 years with shareholder advisory vote), detailed Scope 1-3 emissions methodology, industry association disclosure, and sustainability fact book. Board oversight is in place — the Chair is responsible for climate strategy, the CEO for delivery, and executive remuneration is linked to sustainability metrics. TCFD-aligned disclosure is published. The company has a dedicated Chief Decarbonisation Of

Controversies & Red Flags: How does Rio Tinto score?

Starting at 8: (1) Juukan Gorge destruction (2020) — destroyed 46,000-year-old sacred Aboriginal rock shelters, leading to CEO resignation, parliamentary inquiry, global condemnation; this was a major documented environmental and cultural damage event (-3). (2) Active anti-climate lobbying — Rio Tinto lobbied the Australian PM to weaken the Nature Positive Plan and remove climate triggers from environmental legislation, contradicting its public climate commitments; ACCR disengaged calling it gre

Rio Tinto Sustainability Score: 20/100

Recently scored: Dentsu, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe, WPP

507 companies scored·4 score updates this week

Rio Tinto·Mining & Extraction·Melbourne, Australia·Founded 1873·Last verified 21 April 2026

out of 100

Significant gapsPending Review+1 since last review

Rio Tinto is a major diversified miner with high absolute emissions (31.5 Mt CO₂e Scope 1&2, 575.7 Mt Scope 3), stalled progress on climate targets, and no Scope 3 reduction plan. The company faces documented water pollution fines, the Juukan Gorge sacred site destruction, and active anti-climate lobbying—contradicting public sustainability claims.

No challenges currently filed

The calculation

Every score shows its working.

Same formula for every company. No curve. No private weighting.

SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale

Industry base impact

Mining & Extraction sector ceiling.

15 / 100

Performance score

Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.

40 / 100

Raw score

Weighted average before scale penalty.

(0.3 × 15) + (0.7 × 40) = 32.5

Scale penalty

Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.

× 0.6

Final score

Rounded. Significant gaps.

20 / 100

The ten questions

Where Rio Tinto is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Energy Source (7/10, 6/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Targets & Commitments (0/10, 3/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

19 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which rubric questions it informed.

[1]Self-reported

Rio Tinto Sustainability Report

Ongoing

Every score shows its working.

Where Rio Tinto is strong, and where it isn't.

Every document used, listed.

Where Rio Tinto sits among mining & extraction peers.

Rio Tinto's score over time.

This score is not currently being contested.

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We'll let you know when the score moves.

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