Australia's biggest miner, BHP, will become the world's first to set goals for its customers to cut greenhouse gas emissions, with an ambitious carbon pledge targeting shippers, steel mills and power plants.

Under a decarbonisation plan, the first of its kind by a major miner, BHP chief Andrew Mackenzie unveiled a $500 million initiative to tackle its own emissions and emissions generated beyond its mine gates from the customers that use its products such as coal and iron ore.

BHP is taking a tougher stance on carbon emissions caused by the users of its products. Credit:BHP

Although mining giants worldwide are striving to curb their direct greenhouse emissions, the industry has been reluctant to tackle the emissions caused by customers from the use of their resources – known as "Scope 3" emissions – which are much greater than those caused by miners' operations.

"These emissions are generated as customers transport, transform and use our products to serve the needs of billions of people," Mr Mackenzie said in London on Tuesday.