Nsude Chinedu C, Wimhurst Joshua J, Debnath Ramit
Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019 USA.
Center for Peace and Development, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019 USA.
MRS Energy Sustain. 2024;11(2):401-408. doi: 10.1557/s43581-024-00113-2. Epub 2024 Sep 18.
Renewable sources produced close to one-third of the world's electricity in 2023. However, a limited but growing body of research suggests rapid renewable energy development is leading to conflict and resource exploitation in energy-transitioning communities. Such injustices are attributable to the extractivist nature of renewable energy development, where raw materials, also known as Clean Energy Technology Materials (CETMs), are in limited quantities and often concentrated in resource-constrained zones in the Global South. In this perspective, we call for an urgent need for energy justice considerations in CETM's supply chain. We used demand projection data from 2020 to 2040 to look into the effects of important CETMs like nickel, cobalt, and lithium on distributive justice. We also examined the potential of these effects to tackle systemic injustices such as conflict, labor exploitation, and transactional colonialism. Next, we analyzed global mining production data from the United States Geological Survey using a CETM life cycle lens and found that increasing demand for these materials is exacerbating restorative injustices, particularly in the Global South. Finally, building on the above evidence, we called for the creation of multi-stakeholder partnerships and the establishment of fair trade standards across the critical CETM supply chain.
Here, we analyzed the projected demand growth for selected clean energy technology materials by 2040 relative to 2020 levels using data from the International Energy Agency, visualized their global mining production using data from the United States Geological Survey, explained how the demand for these materials is exacerbating certain injustices, and recommended multi-stakeholder partnerships across the supply chain of these materials.
The rapid growth of renewable energy technologies is creating injustices throughout the supply chain of clean energy technology materials (CETM).A lack of any energy justice framework across CETMs' extraction, processing, decommissioning, and recycling is exacerbating restorative injustices, especially in the Global South.By examining the projected demands and geospatial patterns for the extraction of minerals, metals, and other materials essential for clean energy technology development, the inequities faced by impoverished, marginalized, and Indigenous communities become apparent.We argue that if coffee can have fair trade standards across its supply chain, why can't we have similar considerations for the CETMs?There is a need to include transparency in the sustainability, ethics, and energy efficiency of CETM extraction and processing through global partnerships across its supply chain.
2023年，可再生能源生产了全球近三分之一的电力。然而，数量有限但不断增加的研究表明，可再生能源的快速发展正在导致能源转型社区出现冲突和资源开发问题。这些不公正现象归因于可再生能源发展的掠夺性本质，即原材料（也称为清洁能源技术材料，CETMs）数量有限，且往往集中在全球南方资源匮乏地区。从这个角度来看，我们呼吁在CETM供应链中迫切需要考虑能源公正问题。我们使用了2020年至2040年的需求预测数据，研究镍、钴和锂等重要CETMs对分配公正的影响。我们还研究了这些影响解决冲突、劳动力剥削和交易殖民主义等系统性不公正问题的潜力。接下来，我们使用CETM生命周期视角分析了美国地质调查局的全球采矿生产数据，发现对这些材料需求的增加正在加剧恢复性不公正，特别是在全球南方。最后，基于上述证据，我们呼吁建立多方利益相关者伙伴关系，并在关键的CETM供应链中建立公平贸易标准。
在此，我们利用国际能源署的数据，分析了到2040年相对于2020年水平选定清洁能源技术材料的预计需求增长，利用美国地质调查局的数据可视化了它们的全球采矿生产，解释了对这些材料的需求如何加剧某些不公正现象，并建议在这些材料的供应链中建立多方利益相关者伙伴关系。
可再生能源技术的快速增长正在清洁能源技术材料（CETM）的整个供应链中造成不公正现象。在CETMs的开采、加工、退役和回收过程中缺乏任何能源公正框架，正在加剧恢复性不公正，特别是在全球南方。通过研究清洁能源技术发展所需的矿物、金属和其他材料开采的预计需求和地理空间模式，贫困、边缘化和原住民社区面临的不平等现象变得明显。我们认为，如果咖啡在其供应链中可以有公平贸易标准，为什么我们不能对CETMs有类似的考虑呢？需要通过其供应链中的全球伙伴关系，在CETM开采和加工的可持续性、道德和能源效率方面实现透明度。
