Australian government granted BHP repeated approval to increase carbon emissions

Mining giant allowed 13% increase in emissions in three years under Coalition policy that promised to limit increases in pollution from big industry

Mining giant BHP has repeatedly applied and been granted approval to increase its emissions under an Australian government policy that promised to limit carbon pollution from big industry.

Government data shows BHP exceeded its initial emissions limits, set under the scheme known as the "safeguard mechanism", at eight of its 14 large Australian industrial sites since 2016-17.