Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) is actively engaged on climate policy and displays a mix of positive and negative positions. While the association broadly supports circular economy principles in the mining industry and the decarbonization of the metals value-chain, it also appears to support technologies that risk slowing down the transition to renewables.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: AMEC’s topline messaging on climate policy reflects a mix of positive and negative positions. The association communicates broad support for national commitments made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and appears to support net zero emissions by 2050, as seen in an April 2024 consultation submission. However, AMEC also appears to argue against government regulation on climate change. For example, the association called on Australia to “carefully consider the economic impact of being an ‘outright’ climate leader” in a December 2023 consultation submission.
Engagement with Climate-Related Policy: AMEC’s engagement with climate related policy in Australia includes a mix of positive and negative positions, generally supporting circular economy principles while appearing to oppose greenhouse gas emissions regulations. The association consistently advocated against the introduction of a climate trigger in Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, as seen in its March 2024 submission to the Nature Positive consultation. Further, AMEC stressed difficulties for industry in navigating compliance with Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism (SGM) in a July 2024 consultation submission, following its earlier opposition to the SGM reforms in a February 2023 consultation submission.
However, AMEC broadly supports the implementation of circular economy principles in the mining industry, as seen in a December 2024 consultation submission to the South Australian Environment Protection Authority and also appeared to advocate for measures to increase recycled content in metal production in its July 2024 consultation submission on unlocking green metals opportunities for a Future Made in Australia.
Positioning on Energy Transition: AMEC displays a mix of positive and negative positions on the energy transition, broadly supporting the decarbonization of the metals value-chain while also appearing to support technologies that risk slowing down the transition to renewables. The association supported specific regulatory measures as part of the Future Made in Australia plan to facilitate the move to a net-zero resources industry in Australia in a July 2024 consultation submission to the Australian Parliament House. In addition, AMEC advocated for government policy and investment to accelerate the decarbonization of Australia’s electricity generation system to aid the development of a “full green metals value-chain” in a July 2024 consultation submission and further advocated for the addition of high-grade magnetite to Australia’s Critical Minerals List to facilitate low-carbon steel production in a December 2024 consultation submission.
However, AMEC also stated that “green industry projects” should not economically disadvantage the mining industry in a September 2024 consultation submission. The association appeared to support fossil gas and other “transitional technologies” alongside hydrogen in direct reduced iron processes without placing clear timelines on the use of fossil fuels or stating the need to fully decarbonize hydrogen production in its October 2024 consultation submission on South Australia’s green iron and steel strategy and called for government support to aid the decarbonization of coal and gas to ensure “they are responsibly mined for decades to come” in its December 2023 consultation submission on Queensland’s 2024 budget. Moreover, AMEC supports a future role for nuclear in the energy mix but is unclear as to how it sees its role in terms of a full transition towards a zero-emission energy system, for example in its August 2023 consultation submission on the update of Australia’s Critical Minerals List.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the association’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically.
This summary was last updated in Q1 2025.