GETTING AHEAD OF THE THREATS:
Challenging Mining in Protected Areas for Renewable Technologies
Increases in Mining
Demand for metal will increase as low carbon infrastructure expands.
Renewable energy production is necessary to halt climate change and associated biodiversity loss. However, the required technologies and infrastructure will drive an increase in the production of many metals, thus, creating new mining threats for biodiversity. Without planning, these new threats to biodiversity may surpass those averted by climate change mitigation.
The World Bank estimated the world will need more than 3 billion tons of minerals and metals to produce the renewable energy technologies needed to phase out fossil fuels. It is therefore necessary to find ways to sustain increasing renewable energy production while simultaneously curbing the negative environmental and social impacts of metal mining.
Mining in Protected Areas (PAs)
- Half of global metal ore extraction takes place 20 km or less from protected areas.
- 4.2% are located within PAs.
- Mining within PAs has surged – a 113% increase in the last 20 years.
A typical electric car battery pack needs around 8 kg of lithium, 35kg of nickel, 20kg of manganese, 14kg of cobalt, and charging stations require substantial amounts of copper.
Impacts of Mining
Environmental threats from African mining developments include habitat alteration, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, human illness and disease, infrastructure expansion, human migration, corruption, and weak governance.
Action is Needed!
- Stronger environmental monitoring.
- Hold governments and companies to account.
- Reclamation and reforestation.
- Clarify Protected Area laws.
- Provide technical expertise.
- Prioritize indigenous knowledge and science.
- Recycle renewable energy technology.