An exclusive investigation based on documents leaked to the Guardian and the ABC's Four Corners has revealed that BHP, the world's biggest miner, has halted or delayed projects aimed at cutting vast amounts of emissions. The documents, dubbed the BHP files, show that the company has quietly war-gamed options to push major climate investments in its Western Australian iron ore operations into the next two decades.
Key Findings from the BHP Files
The leaked internal records reveal several critical decisions that contradict BHP's public commitments to climate action:
- Solar farm shelved: BHP's first planned investment in its inland Pilbara decarbonisation plan—a 50-megawatt solar farm and 20MW battery at its Jimblebar mine—was effectively shelved soon after being approved and funded by the board in mid-2023. This move prompted internal criticism from staff, some of whom questioned the decision to unilaterally close a board-approved project.
- Renewables project delayed: A huge system of almost 500MW solar, wind, and battery that could power a small city has been significantly delayed. Documents show it will "not progress in its current form" and has been given no capital funding until 2031 at the earliest, despite an initial plan for it to deliver its first power from December 2027.
- Emissions-reducing plant dumped: BHP quietly abandoned an iron ore processing plant that could have prevented 1.7 million tonnes of emissions per year—the equivalent of taking more than 350,000 cars off the road. This was despite describing it as "well-aligned" with its climate transition action plan, which shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour of.
- Diesel truck purchases continue: The company initially planned to replace its fleet of diesel trucks—one of the biggest sources of BHP's emissions—with electric ones beginning in 2027-28. However, documents show it has continued to acquire polluting diesel haulage trucks for long-term use, including a purchase of more than $500 million for new diesel trucks at Jimblebar. Public documents also suggest it is planning to use diesel trucks at a proposed new mine at Ministers North.
Internal Warnings Ignored
The cache of leaked internal records reveals that BHP was aware that delayed climate action in the Pilbara would pose a "reputational risk" and that "urgent decarbonisation in line with BHP's public commitments" effectively underpinned its "licence to operate." Despite these warnings, the company announced a slowdown of its decarbonisation program last year, slashing spending and putting off meaningful investment until the 2030s at the earliest. It did so in the face of overwhelming shareholder support for urgent climate action and board approval of a key solar project.
Memo Reveals Shift in Strategy
A memo dated May 2025, seen by Guardian Australia, shows BHP no longer considered its current decarbonisation plan to be achievable, claiming it had a "low probability of success" and blaming slow technological advancement by truck manufacturers. "The urgency to source renewables generation and storage services by 2030 has diminished," the document said. The memo contemplates major delays to key decarbonisation projects, including two options to delay electrifying its highly polluting truck and rail fleets until 2035 or 2040, and a third to simply take no action at all.
Impact on National Climate Targets
Experts and environmental groups have voiced concerns that BHP's failure to urgently decarbonise could put national climate targets—including a 43% cut below 2005 levels by 2030—in doubt. Tim Buckley of the thinktank Climate Energy Finance said, "BHP is fundamentally putting Australia's emissions targets at risk. It's the single biggest company in Australia, and its annual report shows its emissions going up between fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2030. It isn't showing leadership and it is refusing to act on its own policy."
Naomi Hogan, head of engagement at the Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, said the company's actions had oversized influence in driving climate action, including in the development of technological advancements in electric trucking and rail. Big miners were more than mere "participants" in the energy transition, she said. "They can help shape it through their scale and purchasing power."
BHP's Response
BHP says it is still focused on its emissions reductions goals and has reduced emissions by 36% on 2020 levels, pointing to analysis suggesting it is one of the best climate performers of large publicly listed companies. "Despite this progress, many of the technologies the resources industry will need to achieve net zero are not yet ready to be deployed," a spokesperson said. The company is trialling battery electric trucks and rail in the Pilbara and is using solar energy to power 30% of its Port Hedland operations.
However, critics argue that BHP could do more now. Hogan said, "Remaining hooked on expenditure for diesel trucks and pointing to technology delays demonstrates BHP and Rio Tinto are taking a back seat on decarbonisation. Right now, they could be boosting investment and upping the scale and speed of trials of early deployment low-emissions technologies to shape core investment decisions."
BHP is one of the world's biggest historic emitters but has spent years trying to reposition itself as an industry leader on climate. It has previously set a target to cut emissions by 30% by 2030 and has a goal to reach net zero in 2050. In 2019, its then chief executive, Andrew Mackenzie, said fossil fuel dependence posed "existential" risks and tackling climate change would require "the biggest global mobilisation since World War II." But the BHP files show that, within six years, the company was war-gaming options that would massively delay action on key decarbonisation initiatives in its Western Australian iron ore business.
