Is the green transition truly sustainable? As we race towards a greener future, we often overlook the hidden costs. From environmental trade-offs to social inequalities, the path to a sustainable world is fraught with challenges. This article explores some critical questions that force us to reconsider the true nature of the green revolution.
1. Mining Demand for Rare Earth Metals
- The green transition requires significant rare earth metals—such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel—for batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines. The International Energy Agency predicts a dramatic surge in demand for rare earth elements and critical minerals like lithium by 2040. Demand for rare earth elements could increase three to sevenfold, while lithium demand may soar by a staggering 40 times.
- Ethical Sourcing of Minerals: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the source of 70% of the world’s cobalt, but mining here has led to severe human rights abuses, including child labor and unsafe working conditions.
- Tesla and Apple have faced scrutiny over ethical sourcing of cobalt, leading them to seek alternatives, but viable substitutes are currently limited.
- As governments accelerate green energy transitions, the mining of critical minerals is causing significant social and environmental harm, often impacting Indigenous Peoples and peasant communities. A 2023 report revealed that over 90 corporations involved in mining for clean energy have been linked to numerous human rights abuses, including child labor, forced displacement, pollution, and violations of community consent rights.
2. Environmental Impact of Renewable Infrastructure
- Without proper recycling, 60 million tons of solar panel waste could end up in landfills by 2050. This is a major environmental concern as solar panels contain toxic materials. Recycling a single solar panel costs roughly $20 to $30, while landfilling it costs only $1 to $2.
- Categories of Impact:
- Land Use: Large areas needed for utility-scale solar facilities, which can conflict with existing land use.
- Ecological Impact: Disrupts natural habitats and biodiversity, especially when established in wilderness areas.
- Resource Impact: Energy systems require material extraction, manufacturing, and disposal, creating significant environmental footprints.
3. Energy Inequity
- The transition could exacerbate inequalities, as wealthier countries and communities may have greater access to green technologies, while poorer ones could be left behind.
- The UNDP Report reveals that around 733 million people worldwide, or 10%, still live without electricity. Additionally, approximately 2.4 billion people, or one-third of the global population, lack access to clean cooking fuels.
- The report underscores the significant energy inequality between income groups. The top 10% of earners consume about 20 times more energy than the bottom 10%. This inequality is also evident across countries, with the UK’s poorest 20% consuming over five times more energy per person than India’s bottom 84%.
4. Carbon Emissions of Manufacturing Green Tech
- Lithium Mining:
- Lithium is extracted from hard rock mines or brine reservoirs.
- Hard rock mining emits ~15 tons of CO2 per ton of lithium extracted( according to lithium and geothermal energy firm Vulcan Energy Resources).
- Other Metals: Cobalt (60-70% sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo) and nickel mining involve heavy water use, chemicals, and can lead to toxic waste.
- 77% of global lithium-ion batteries are produced in China, where coal is the primary energy source, doubling emissions compared to natural gas.
5. Water Use in Renewable Energy Production
- High Water Demand for Lithium and Rare-Earth Elements:
- Lithium extraction uses 2.1 million gallons per ton, the highest among minerals, stressing its environmental impact, especially for electric vehicle batteries. Rare-earth elements consume 1.7 million gallons per ton, crucial for clean energy technologies like wind turbines and EVs.
- Arid regions like the Lithium Triangle in South America, encompassing parts of Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile, face significant water challenges due to lithium extraction. In Chile’s Salar de Atacama, mining operations consume approximately 21 million liters of water daily, accounting for around 65% of the region’s water usage. This excessive water consumption has led to severe water shortages.(Harvard Research Study)
- Moderate Water Consumption for Other Minerals
- Cobalt and Nickel require 152,000 and 141,000 gallons per ton, respectively, for battery production, contributing to the overall water footprint of batteries. Copper uses 85,000 gallons per ton, essential for renewable energy systems and electric vehicles.
6. Potential for Green Colonialism
- Wealthy nations often invest in green projects in poorer countries, sometimes prioritizing their energy needs over the well-being of local communities.
- In Kenya, the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, Africa’s largest wind farm, faced backlash from local tribes who claimed they were displaced without proper compensation.
- Ouarzazate Solar Plant: A Case Study
- Land Grabbing: The Ouarzazate Solar Plant, launched in 2016, sits on 3,000 hectares of land owned by Amazigh agro-pastoralist communities. This land was taken without their approval or consent, highlighting a classic example of green grabbing.
- Debt and Dependency: The mega-project, touted as the world’s largest solar facility, was funded through a $9 billion loan from the World Bank and European Investment Bank. The Moroccan government guarantees this debt, which could add to the nation’s already heavy financial burdens.
- Water Usage: Despite its renewable label, the plant uses concentrated solar power (CSP), which requires significant water for cooling and cleaning the panels. In the arid region of Ouarzazate, diverting water from essential uses like drinking and agriculture presents serious ecological and social challenges.
7. Increasing Land Inequality
- Land inequality in Asia has worsened by 11% since 1980, according to the report (Land Squeeze: What is Driving Land Inequality).
- In China, a stark disparity exists: the top 10% of landowners hold 50% of the land’s value, while the bottom 50% own a mere 11%. India mirrors this trend, with the top 10% owning 45% of farmland. Globally, a mere 1% of the world’s largest farms dominate, controlling 70% of global farmland.
- Land acquisitions for biofuels, renewable energy, and conservation projects are now surpassing traditional land grabs as the primary form of large-scale land acquisition. These deals account for approximately 20% of land deals recorded in the Land Matrix database. A significant emerging trend in this “green grabbing” is the “economy of repair,” where land and nature are valued and appropriated not only for their use but also for their capacity to mitigate environmental damage.(Land squeeze report)
8. Grid Strain from Intermittent Power
- Renewable energy sources like solar and wind are weather-dependent, causing variability in power generation. This intermittency strains the electric grid and necessitates backup power from fossil fuels, especially during peak demand periods or low-generation times, like cloudy or windless days.
The green transition, while essential for a cleaner, more sustainable future, is far from straightforward. As we pivot toward renewable energy, we must confront the uncomfortable truths that accompany this shift. From the environmental costs of rare-earth mining to the inequities in energy access and the risks of green colonialism, each step toward sustainability brings its own set of challenges. The land grabs, water shortages, and escalating debts associated with major renewable projects like the Ouarzazate Solar Plant serve as stark reminders of the hidden consequences of progress.
As we race to embrace green technologies, it is crucial that we do not overlook the cost paid by marginalized communities, ecosystems, and future generations. A truly just transition requires us to balance the urgent need for clean energy with an unwavering commitment to social and environmental justice. We must ensure that the solutions we champion today do not deepen the divides of yesterday, but instead create an inclusive, equitable future for all.