88
posted ago by Narg ago by Narg +88 / -0

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/18/24158518/ev-critical-mineral-mining-human-rights-abuse-allegations

An electric vehicle requires about six times as many minerals as a typical gas-guzzling car. Demand for critical minerals used in EVs and battery storage for renewable energy could grow tenfold by 2040, under a conservative estimate by the International Energy Agency. Scrambling to secure all those minerals without taking the time to make sure they’re mined humanely is where problems arise.

BHRRC’s latest report includes potential abuses linked to the mining of seven minerals: bauxite, cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese, nickel, and zinc. It’s been tracking those allegations since 2019 using publicly available records, including court documents and regulatory resources, as well as reports from other nongovernmental organizations and media outlets.

It found 91 more allegations in the past year alone, including a* “marked increase in labour rights violations and worker deaths”* that made up roughly 40 percent of the new allegations in 2023. Across its entire data set going back to 2010, labor violations including 53 work-related deaths make up a quarter of all allegations. For 2023, alleged attacks against human rights defenders, water pollution, and threats to water access are also glaring issues.