MELBOURNE – BHP Billiton, the world’s largest miner, said on Tuesday it sees its earnings doubling over the next 15 years, even in a world where carbon emissions are cut to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius.
Under pressure from UK investors who fear fossil fuel assets could become worthless under tough climate policies, BHP released analyses of its copper, coal, oil, gas, potash, uranium and iron ore assets showing the company will hold up well under what it considers the most realistic scenarios.
Even with the 2 degrees C limit – equivalent to a rise of about 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit – that has been set for UN climate talks later this year, demand in 2030 for all of BHP’s commodities except thermal coal would be higher than in 2014.
Uranium would be the biggest winner as more nuclear power would be needed, BHP said. “In this scenario, our portfolio remains resilient, and our analysis indicates that margins remain strong and even increase in some commodities,” Chief Commercial Officer Dean Dalla Valle told reporters ahead of an investor briefing in London.
In the central case that it plans for, BHP says it sees earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) more than doubling between 2016 and 2030, without citing any dollar figures.
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