Campaigners are urging the Scottish Government to develop a comprehensive strategy that curbs the demand for materials required in the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. A newly released report, "Unearthing Injustice," commissioned by Friends of the Earth Scotland in collaboration with the London Mining Network, sheds light on the concerning environmental degradation and human rights abuses linked to the extraction of vital transition materials like lithium and steel.
The report underscores the crucial role of these materials in green technologies such as electric vehicle batteries and wind turbines. The extraction and manufacturing processes for these materials contribute significantly to environmental harm and human rights violations. The report warns that as demand for these materials surges in line with the predicted growth of the green technology sector this decade, the negative impacts could escalate unless proactive measures are taken to address the sector's problems. The focus of the report is on Scotland, where it highlights the gaps in the government's draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan. The report points out that these plans fail to account for the supply chain of materials like lithium and steel, which leads to misleading climate targets and strategies.
The mining and extraction of transition materials have been associated with a range of issues, including water pollution, loss of biodiversity, hazardous working conditions, human rights violations, and conflicts with indigenous communities. These problems pose a significant threat to both environmental sustainability and social justice.Currently, demand for lithium is projected to surge between 13 and 50 times by 2040. Despite this, only a mere 1% of the material is currently recycled. Similarly, the steel industry, despite being vital for renewables and electric vehicles, is responsible for approximately 7% of global carbon emissions. The report highlights that the most effective way to mitigate the negative impact of transition materials is to reduce the overall need for them.The report's authors emphasize the urgent need for a resource justice strategy that not only promotes justice for workers and affected communities but also reduces mineral demand. This approach involves establishing stringent due diligence standards, a publicly owned energy company, and a trade policy that ensures fair compensation for impacted communities.
Advocates stress the importance of transitioning towards a circular economy in Scotland, where materials are reused and recycled, and public services take precedence over private interests. By adopting such measures, Scotland could harness its ample supply of scrap steel and low-carbon electricity grid to produce environmentally friendly steel.Ultimately, the report urges the Scottish Government to swiftly create a comprehensive resource justice strategy to ensure equitable and sustainable material use within the region.
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Technology is a useful servant, but a dangerous master, it was rightly said. Electronic devices have grown into an inevitable part of our daily lives.
