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https://reneweconomy.com.au/andrew-forrest-says-real-zero-is-already-the-winning-business-case-in-three-key-fossil-fuel-guzzling-industries/>
"As the federal Liberal National Party continues its interminable internal
debate over whether net zero emissions is even a thing, let alone a thing it
can get behind, new reports have found that “real zero” is both technically
feasible and economically preferable to its carbon-lite alternative in numerous
hard-to-abate sectors.
“Net zero” targets a balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and
greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere by 2050, and relies heavily on
carbon offsets.
According to the Climate Action Tracker, as of October 2025 around 145
countries had announced or were considering net zero targets, including China,
the EU, and India. Australia, under the federal Labor government, has set a
legislated target to reach net zero by 2050.
“Real zero,” however, means completely eliminating fossil fuels by replacing
them with zero-carbon alternatives, rather than compensating for them with
offsets, carbon dioxide removal or carbon capture and storage.
The concept, championed by Australian iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest, is
now a consecrated, overarching goal of Forrest’s mining and green metals giant,
Fortescue.
Forrest, who describes net zero as “con,” has committed $6.2 billion to
Fortescue’s plan to achieve real zero by 2030, and is challenging other
industrial giants to follow his lead.
For Fortescue, this means decarbonising its electricity supply, its road
transport, its mining operations, and even the massive trains that transport
the ore to port.
Already, the company is deploying a range of technologies – wind, solar,
battery storage, electric trucks and fast charging gear – to meet the real zero
goal for its terrestrial mining operations in the Pilbara.
Forrest argues that roughly 90 per cent of Fortescue’s operations can be
eliminated through the use of technology that already exists and is betting
enough investment and intensive research and development can crack the nut on
the remaining 10 per cent within less than five years."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
