1World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Rio Tinto’s Biodiversity Strategy Achieving Net Positive Impact Dr Elaine Dorward-King Head Rio Tinto HSE Photo courtesy of FFI

2World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Presentation outline The Issue – A diversity of Priorities and Perspectives Recognition of the Business Case The Learning Process – Listening to the Experts The Response – Inclusive, Realistic, Significant The Future – Research & Development Questions

3World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 THE ISSUE: Biodiversity is a complex subject with a diversity of perspectives and priorities –For biologists it means conserving the rare, threatened, endemic and fragile ecosystems, species and genes –For local communities it often means livelihoods and survival – food, shelter, spiritual significance, culture – or recreation and wellbeing – a better quality of life –For governments it means responsibility for stewardship and meeting obligations under UN conventions – CBD, Ramsar –For economists it can represent a source of capital, an asset with value –For investors it can appear as a potential source of risk and uncertainty –For mining companies, it means there may be sensitivity and concern over areas of land that might be prospective for mineral deposits –For the public there is an expectation that industry should do more to reduce its impacts

4World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Rio Tinto Group  36,000 people, including 6,000 in Joint Ventures  Multiple cultures  Multiple Continents 12 Smelting/Refining Operations 54 Mining Operations 23 Other Facilities and Development Projects 20 Countries Exploration and OTX 6 “Product Groups”

5World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Location of Rio Tinto operations Diamonds TiO 2 / Iron Gold Borates Copper / Gold / Silver / Molybdenum Coal Gold Talc Coal Talc Iron ore Borates Aluminium Talc Uranium Diamonds TiO 2 Copper Gold Diamonds Salt Iron ore Aluminium Coal Bauxite Coal Alumina Aluminium Coal Iron Ore Uranium Copper/ gold Zinc, silver and gold Talc Iron ore TiO 2

6World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Evidence of the growing significance of Biodiversity to Rio Tinto 600,000 km 2 exploration land 20,000 km 2 of operational land –only 7% ‘needed’ for mining 2001 Biodiversity Survey –70% of all operations already dealing with biodiversity issues Good experiences from new projects –QMM Madagascar –Diavik –Simandou Guinea Society’s expectations –GMI and MMSD –2010 Biodiversity target –ICMM-IUCN dialogue

7World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 What are the elements of a business case for developing a more strategic approach to biodiversity? The Emerging Approach Access to land, sea and related natural resources (directly, or through supply chains) Legal and social license to operate Access to capital and insurance Access to markets for products (old and new) Access to human capital

8World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 What are the factors to consider in developing a biodiversity strategy? Balance –How to reconcile different perspectives and priorities Inclusiveness –Ensure that different viewpoints are represented Delivery –The results must be better outcomes Credibility –Listen to the experts Practicability –Bear in mind what businesses can be asked to achieve Diversity of Rio Tinto –Arctic to Equator, OECD to developing country, large to small Sustainability –Technical, financial, governance

9World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Rio Tinto Biodiversity Strategy: Development Partnerships with conservation NGOs from 1997 onwards Business case paper put to Rio Tinto Board in 2000 Biodiversity activity survey of Rio Tinto carried out in 2001 Strategy development groups operated 2002 – 2004 –Internal Steering Group –External Advisory Panel External and internal authors developed drafts in Wide consultation phase internally and externally 2004 Strategy launched at World Conservation Forum Bangkok Nov 2004 Implementation, support, reporting 2005 onwards Ongoing issues – measurement & indicators, offsets

10World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Rio Tinto biodiversity strategy: Elements Position Statement and Principles –Our beliefs and commitments Guidance document –Best Practice at all stages Case studies –Examples of successful programmes Working groups –Continuing collaborative policy and guidance development on offsets, performance measurement Partnership programmes –Implementation support, capacity building

11World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Expert Advice- Rio Tinto’s Biodiversity Partnerships GLOBAL –BirdLife International –Earthwatch –Fauna & Flora International –Royal Botanic Gardens Kew –The Nature Conservancy –Conservation International –Eden Project – Post Mining Alliance LOCAL –The Australian Museum –Australian Bush Heritage –Birds Australia –National Audubon Society

12World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 “Rio Tinto aims to have a net positive impact on biodiversity by minimising the negative impacts of its activities and by making appropriate contributions to conservation in the regions in which it operates.”  Measure both impacts and positive actions  Initially, apply to new projects  Contribute to understanding of biodiversity offset Net positive impact is our long term goal

13World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006  Policy elements complete  Management tools in development – IBAP programme – Biodiversity diagnostic – BAP guidance  Methodological development ongoing – Biodiversity performance measures – Biodiversity offsets  Strategic engagement ongoing – Partnership programmes – Capacity building The biodiversity strategy is being implemented

14World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Net Positive Impact: the Position Statement and Principles 1.Aim to have a net positive effect on biodiversity. 2.Committed to the conservation of threatened and endemic species and high priority conservation areas. 3.Seek equity and the reconciliation of differing perspectives and ideals in biodiversity decisions and actions. 4.Enhance outcomes through consultation, constructive relationships and partnerships. 5.Integrate biodiversity issues into operational planning and decision making processes. 6.Apply appropriate expertise and resources to biodiversity issues and build internal and external capacity. 7.Promote the collection, analysis and dissemination of biodiversity information and knowledge.

15World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Rio Tinto Biodiversity Strategy Framework Project DevelopmentOperationsPost ClosureExploration Project Timeline Simple SystemsComplex SystemsSimple Systems Achieving NPI Biodiversity Performance Measures Programme (Earthwatch) IBAP (CI)OBAP (FFI) Biodiversity Diagnostic (Health Check) Policy Elements (Position Statement & Principles) Rio Tinto Land Stewardship & Closure Standards Rio Tinto Biodiversity Guidance Document Offsets Ecosystem Services Tool Box

16World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Rio Tinto – EarthWatch Institute BPM Project Project Aim: To develop a set of tailored performance measures that will enable Rio Tinto to assess and report progress towards its biodiversity strategy commitment of a ‘Net Positive Impact on Biodiversity’

17World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Rio Tinto – EarthWatch International BPM Project Progress to date A collaborative project involving input from a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders Review of measurement systems and approaches commissioned and completed (Ecological Solutions, G. Tucker) Workshop convened Sept Broad scale input from partners Actioned items identified to carry project forward into 2006 Steering group set up to oversee project

18World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Rio Tinto – EarthWatch International BPM Project Key issues to be resolved Identify the audiences for reporting biodiversity results and performance Define the sphere of responsibility (geographic & temporal) for Rio Tinto’s primary and secondary impacts Identify suitable baselines and establish acceptable background change against which to measure performance Define the scale at which to measure performance (global, national, local) Set the right currency for collecting and aggregating data Develop indicators that meet a variety of criteria including site specificity, simplicity, based on categories

19World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Indicators: Key Features Methodology The development of Biodiversity indicators is based around the characterisation of key biodiversity features (taxonomies) Species Habitats Ecosystem features Ecosystem services Cultural & Social values

20World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Operational Challenges Making informed decisions during project Development –Staging the generation of biodiversity information to compliment the stage of project development (desktop to intensive survey) Biodiversity Action Planning –Building biodiversity issues and management solutions into operational systems Offsets –Developing and implementing agreed methodologies that allow operations to use offsets to achieve NPI. Sustainability –Developing solutions to ensure that conservation initiatives are sustainable post operational closure Engagement –Identifying and engaging with local and regional biodiversity partner organisation.

21World Environment Centre Roundtable on Biodiversity, Helsinki June 2006 Conclusions  Biodiversity is a significant issue for Rio Tinto that affects our licence to operate.  Our goal is to have a Net Positive Impact on biodiversity.  We have embarked on an extensive process to develop the tools and methodologies and capacity to achieve this goal.  Engagement and participation of external stakeholders is a critical factor in achieving this goal.