As the world pushes toward cleaner energy to combat climate change, the transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources is seen as crucial for the planet’s future. Electric vehicles, solar power and wind turbines have been championed as key solutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Studies in Europe have shown that fully electric vehicles emit, on average, three times less CO2 compared to equivalent petrol cars, even when accounting for emissions from electricity production and resource extraction. This shift promises significant benefits for air quality and environmental health.
However, a recent study published in Current Biology reveals a troubling downside to the push for clean energy. The study, considered one of the most comprehensive global assessments of the impact of mineral extraction on biodiversity, highlights the hidden environmental and human costs associated with the production of key components for green technology. Cobalt and lithium, essential for electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and electronic devices, are extracted from areas often located in or near some of the world’s most valuable biodiversity hotspots.
According to the study, mining activities—especially for critical minerals like cobalt and lithium—pose significant threats to wildlife. It found that 4,642 vertebrate species globally are endangered by mineral extraction. Ironically, the very materials driving the transition to cleaner energy are contributing to the loss of biodiversity. The study also notes that limestone quarrying, necessary for cement production, is impacting many species.
Between 2000 and 2018, mining exploration and extraction led to the downgrading, downsizing, or loss of protection for 78% of global protected areas. Fish species are particularly affected, with 2,053 species at risk, followed by reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals. Species dependent on freshwater habitats and those with small geographic ranges are most vulnerable. The study also highlights that species classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered face greater threats from mining compared to less at-risk species.
The human toll is equally alarming. Cobalt, which is crucial for many technologies, is predominantly mined in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), a region fraught with poverty, corruption, and conflict. Despite its vast reserves, the DR Congo remains one of the world’s poorest and most troubled nations. Reports have highlighted the severe human rights abuses associated with cobalt mining, including corruption, environmental neglect, and violations of basic human rights.
In his book Cobalt Red, investigative journalist Siddharth Kara provides a harrowing exposé of the cobalt mining industry in the DR Congo. He describes how the mining operations are linked to severe human rights abuses, including murder, rape, displacement, slavery, and child labor, alongside massive environmental degradation. This stark reality underscores the paradox of the clean energy transition: while aiming to create a cleaner world, the process of obtaining the necessary materials is inflicting significant harm on both people and the environment.
