The rising demand for minerals like copper, lithium, nickel, and cobalt to power renewable energy has sparked concerns over community rights violations and environmental degradation.
During a side event at the climate negotiations in Baku, experts highlighted that mineral extraction is expected to triple by 2030. Ditte Jorgensen from the European Commission stressed the need for resource-driven prosperity and poverty elimination.
Kuda Manjonjo of Power Shift Africa emphasized that 60% of Africa’s minerals come from artisanal miners, urging a fairer distribution of benefits to local communities rather than exporting raw materials and importing finished goods.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted the renewables revolution is accelerating, with investment in renewable energy surpassing fossil fuels for the first time in 2023. He called for justice and sustainability in mineral extraction as governments aim to triple renewables capacity by 2030.
