Circular, Equitable, and Renewable: Scrutinizing Mineral Requirements to Build a Just Energy Transition
WECAN’s report, Circular, Equitable, and Renewable: Scrutinizing Mineral Requirements to Build a Just Energy Transition, examines the mining demand necessary for a Just Transition away from fossil fuels. As societies and economies phase out oil, gas, and coal, large-scale deployment of renewable energy will play a significant role in meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Fossil fuels are by far the biggest contributors to the climate crisis, responsible for nearly 90% of CO2 emissions and around 68% of greenhouse gas emissions. Across the globe, the fossil fuel industry places critical ecosystems and the rights of 2 billion people at risk. Thus, transitioning away from fossil fuels and adopting renewable energy systems is vital to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and protect human rights worldwide. However, manufacturing renewable energy systems are mineral- and carbon-intensive processes which present significant human rights and ecological risks.
While it’s clear there must be a rapid fossil fuel phaseout and adoption of renewable energy systems, the question is how the transition will take place. Industry experts, government announcements, and media reports often indicate that transition mineral mining will drastically increase, which would place communities and ecosystems at risk across the globe. This policy brief scrutinizes the scope and magnitude of mining needed to provide equitable and safe universal renewable energy. It also offers key solutions for reducing transition mineral demand and continuous extraction by reorienting economic systems, modes of production, and consumption habits to be aligned with Just Transition principles.
