Global miner BHP Billiton said this month it had taken a preliminary decision to leave the World Coal Association (WCA) over differences on climate change and might also withdraw from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
BHP has largely quit mining coal for power plants but is the world’s largest exporter of coal for steel-making. It will seek responses from the WCA over policy differences before making a final decision on whether to pull out in March 2018, it said.
The miner came under pressure from Australian green groups earlier this year to leave any industry associations with policies that fail to match the company’s support of the 2015 Paris climate accord.
BHP said it had reached a preliminary view to exit the WCA, as the global coal lobbying group had called for Australia to abandon a clean energy target to boost prospects for high-tech coal-fired power plants.
BHP said the association’s policy conflicted with its view that energy markets should be fuel- and technology-neutral and take into account costs and benefits. WCA Chairman Mick Buffier said the association was disappointed and did not feel the report accurately reflected the organisation’s views.
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