Ok Tedi Mining Limited (Ok Tedi) planted more than 900 trees comprising over 30 native species in Tabubil and Bige to mark World Environment Day 2026, highlighting its ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, climate action and ecosystem rehabilitation.
The tree-planting exercise formed part of a broader program of sustainability and community awareness activities conducted across the company’s operations in observance of World Environment Day on June 5. The initiative supports biodiversity conservation, greenhouse gas reduction efforts and environmental awareness among employees and surrounding communities.
The activities align with this year’s World Environment Day theme, “Climate Action,” and Ok Tedi’s 2026 environmental focus, “Committed to Positive Climate Action,” which emphasizes reducing emissions while strengthening resilience to climate-related impacts.
Climate action remains central to Ok Tedi’s operations, the environment in which it operates, and the wellbeing of surrounding communities. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, flooding and drought pose risks to infrastructure, workforce safety and downstream river systems, underscoring the need for responsible mining practices that protect environmental integrity while supporting long-term operational resilience and economic benefits.
The company said in a statement that it (Ok Tedi) continues to align its environmental management programs with Papua New Guinea’s Climate Change (Management) Act 2015, the National Climate Change Policy and international commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The company is also pursuing The Copper Mark certification, an independent assurance framework for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards across the copper value chain.
Through its Growth 2050 Energy Transition Strategy, Ok Tedi is investing in additional renewable energy projects alongside the Ok Menga hydropower facility as part of its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
At its Bige Operations, the company manages approximately one million tonnes of piped pyrite concentrate and 17 million tonnes of dredged neutralized sand sediments annually.
Strategic dredging removes sediment from the Fly River system to reduce downstream impacts, maintain river capacity and support the sustainability of ecosystems and communities along the river corridor.
The operation also undertakes progressive rehabilitation of completed storage areas, rehabilitating about 30 hectares each year through the planting of more than 50,000 native trees.
Former tailings storage areas are gradually transformed into stable, vegetated landforms, demonstrating how responsible mine waste management can contribute to environmental restoration, biodiversity enhancement and sustainable land use.
In addition to tree planting and rehabilitation activities, Ok Tedi marked World Environment Day through several community sustainability initiatives designed to raise environmental awareness and encourage public participation.
These included a Workplace Environmental Improvement Competition promoting hazard identification and environmental best practices, Environmental Recognition Awards for teams demonstrating excellence in environmental management, and school photo and essay competitions in Tabubil and Kiunga centered on the Climate Action theme.