South America’s lithium fields are among the focal points of debate about the environmental impacts of industries propelling the world’s energy transition. (Photo/Shutterstock)
As they cut greenhouse-gas emissions to meet climate commitments, countries must clean up the environment, too, especially in communities that lack political and economic clout, a report by the UN special rapporteur on toxics and human rights says. “The argument that we face a global climate crisis and that technologies for addressing the crisis are necessary regardless of the environmental cost or the pollution they can cause is a false narrative,” rapporteur Marcos Orellana told EcoAméricas. “We cannot solve the problem of climate change by aggravating the toxic problems that the planet already faces.” Instead, Orellana argues, decarbonization of the global economy must be accompanied by detoxification of the environment. His warning is especially relevant in Latin America, where some of the world’s largest deposits of minerals needed for renewable-energy technology—including lithium and copper—are located. Mining of both minerals has already led to conflicts in Argentina... [Log in to read more]
