Rio Tinto’s new carbon emissions reduction targets have triggered heated criticism from some investors and environmental groups, with a group led by a Friends of the Earth’s subsidiary tabling a shareholder motion to improve what it calls “weak” climate goals.

The world’s second largest miner last week vowed to spend $1 billion over the next five years to reduce its carbon footprint and have “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Rio also said its total Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy consumed by a company, such as electricity) would be 15% lower by 2030 than 2018 levels.

Rio Tinto’s new carbon emissions reduction targets have triggered heated criticism from some investors and environmental groups, with a group led by a Friends of the Earth’s subsidiary tabling a shareholder motion to improve what it calls “weak” climate goals.

The world’s second largest miner last week vowed to spend $1 billion over the next five years to reduce its carbon footprint and have “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Rio also said its total Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy consumed by a company, such as electricity) would be 15% lower by 2030 than 2018 levels.