How the fight for climate change relies on mining

ABC News

21 Sept 202404:11

Summary

TLDRThe fight against climate change paradoxically relies on mining, as critical minerals like lithium, copper, and cobalt are essential for renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Although mining is often criticized by environmental advocates, it plays a crucial role in the green energy transition. The conversation highlights the need for updated mining laws and discussions about sustainable extraction practices. The speaker also points out that this transition extends beyond electric cars to everyday devices like electric leaf blowers, which also depend on these mined minerals.

Takeaways

🌍 Climate Week is set to start in New York City, marking the largest annual climate event.
💡 A 2023 Pew Research Center survey shows that two-thirds of U.S. adults want the country to prioritize renewable energy over fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas.
🔋 Renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, rely on critical minerals like lithium, copper, nickel, and cobalt.
⛏️ These critical minerals must be mined, linking the fight against climate change to the often controversial practice of mining.
🤔 The paradox is that while many climate activists oppose mining, it's essential for creating renewable energy technologies.
🚗 The energy transition involves more than just electric vehicles; even everyday items like electric leaf blowers rely on mined materials.
⚖️ The U.S. mining law, established in 1872, is outdated and not aligned with today's climate challenges, such as producing renewable energy components.
🛠️ There needs to be a national conversation about the standards and regulations for modern mining, including where and how mining should be allowed.
🌱 Increasing domestic mining could reduce emissions related to importing these essential materials, improving energy supply chains.
📘 The book *The War Below* highlights the global battle over critical minerals and their importance in powering modern technology, emphasizing the need for updated mining policies.

Q & A

What is Climate Week and where is it held?
-Climate Week is the largest annual climate event of its kind, and it takes place in New York City.
According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, what do two-thirds of U.S. adults prioritize regarding energy development?
-Two-thirds of U.S. adults prioritize developing renewable energy, such as wind and solar, over oil, coal, and natural gas production.
Why is mining crucial in the fight against climate change?
-Mining is crucial because many renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, rely on critical minerals like lithium, copper, nickel, and cobalt, which must be extracted from the earth.
What paradox exists regarding mining and the climate change fight?
-The paradox is that while mining is essential for building green technologies, it is deeply unpopular among those fighting climate change due to its environmental impacts.
What are some examples of critical minerals used in green technologies, and where are they found?
-Critical minerals like lithium (for batteries), copper (in solar panels and wind turbines), nickel, and cobalt are essential for green technologies. These minerals are often sourced from mines outside the United States.
Besides electric cars, what other aspects of our lives are influenced by the energy transition?
-The energy transition affects a wide range of everyday tools and devices, such as gas-powered leaf blowers, which contribute to pollution and can be replaced by electric alternatives.
Why is it difficult to trace the origins of the minerals used in products like electric leaf blowers?
-It's difficult to trace the origins because supply chains are complex and not transparent. For example, many critical minerals are sourced from outside the U.S., and even experts struggle to determine their exact origins.
What outdated law still governs mining in the United States, and why is this an issue?
-The law governing U.S. mining dates back to 1872, signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. It is outdated because it was designed for a very different era and does not address modern challenges such as climate change, renewable energy, and new technology.
What discussions should Americans be having about mining and energy production?
-Americans should be discussing what standards should be applied to mining, where it should be allowed, and how to balance environmental protection with the need for critical minerals for green energy.
How does regional production of critical minerals impact emissions and supply chains?
-Increasing regional production of critical minerals could reduce emissions associated with transporting materials from distant locations. It also strengthens supply chains, reducing reliance on imports, similar to issues seen during the COVID-19 pandemic with shortages in products like masks.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Climate Week Kicks Off with Energy Consumption Focus

Climate Week is set to start in New York City, marking the largest annual event focused on climate action. With thousands preparing to participate, the conversation centers on energy consumption. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, two-thirds of U.S. adults believe the country should prioritize renewable energy sources like wind and solar over traditional fossil fuels. However, these renewable technologies rely on critical minerals that must be mined, raising concerns about the environmental impacts of mining.

🔋 The Paradox of Mining for Renewable Energy

Ernest Shider, a senior correspondent for Reuters, explains the paradox of fighting climate change through renewable energy while depending on mining, a process often criticized by environmentalists. Solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles all require minerals like lithium, copper, nickel, and cobalt, which are extracted from the earth. Shider emphasizes that addressing where and how these minerals are sourced is crucial for a sustainable climate solution, as mining is an unavoidable part of the green energy transition.

🚗 Beyond Electric Cars: Energy Transition's Broader Implications

Shider highlights that the transition to renewable energy involves much more than electric vehicles. Everyday items like gas-powered leaf blowers also contribute to climate change due to their harmful emissions. Switching to electric-powered alternatives, like an electric leaf blower, reduces emissions, but the minerals used in these products still need to be mined. Shider points out the challenges of tracing the origins of these materials, which often don’t come from U.S. mines, sparking the need for better standards and transparency in mineral sourcing.

🛠️ Outdated U.S. Mining Laws and Their Impact on Climate Action

The conversation shifts to the outdated U.S. mining law, which was established in 1872 under President Ulysses S. Grant. Shider argues that the law is ill-equipped to handle modern climate challenges, as it was created long before innovations like electric vehicles and solar panels. He advocates for a discussion on updating mining regulations to reflect 21st-century needs, allowing for more regional production of critical minerals to reduce emissions and reliance on foreign supply chains.

🧑‍🔬 The Importance of Regional Production and Supply Chain Resilience

Shider draws a parallel between supply chain disruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the lack of domestically produced masks, and the current need for local production of critical minerals. He argues that where we source the building blocks of renewable technologies matters significantly. Regional production of these minerals would reduce reliance on foreign supply chains and contribute to lower emissions, strengthening the U.S.'s ability to fight climate change.

📚 Shider's Book and the Functioning Electric Leaf Blower

The discussion concludes with a brief mention of Shider's book, 'The War Below,' which delves deeper into the global battle for critical minerals. Shider humorously notes that despite the challenges in sourcing minerals, his electric leaf blower did, in fact, work. This lighthearted moment ends the conversation, reinforcing the complex and often hidden connections between everyday products, mining, and climate action.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Climate Week

Climate Week is an annual event held in New York City focused on addressing global climate challenges. It brings together leaders, activists, and businesses to discuss and promote sustainable solutions for combating climate change. In the script, it is mentioned as a major event around which discussions on energy consumption and sustainability take place.

💡Renewable Energy

Renewable energy refers to energy sources like wind and solar power that are replenishable and environmentally friendly. The script highlights that two-thirds of Americans support the development of renewable energy over traditional fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas, which aligns with the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

💡Critical Minerals

Critical minerals, such as lithium, copper, nickel, and cobalt, are essential materials used in technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicle batteries. These minerals must be mined, which links mining to the fight against climate change, as the transition to green energy depends heavily on them. The paradox of needing environmentally harmful mining to support clean energy initiatives is a key theme in the script.

💡Mining

Mining is the process of extracting valuable minerals from the earth. Although traditionally viewed negatively by environmentalists, the script explains that mining is crucial for acquiring the materials necessary for renewable energy technologies, making it an integral yet controversial aspect of fighting climate change.

💡Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Electric vehicles are automobiles powered by electric motors, often using lithium-ion batteries, as opposed to traditional internal combustion engines. The script discusses how EVs are a key part of the transition to clean energy but rely heavily on critical minerals, creating a dependency on mining industries.

💡Energy Transition

Energy transition refers to the global shift from fossil fuel-based energy systems to renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. The script emphasizes that this transition is not just about electric cars but includes many aspects of daily life, such as using electric-powered tools like leaf blowers to reduce emissions.

💡U.S. Mining Law of 1872

The U.S. Mining Law of 1872 governs mining practices in the United States, but it is outdated, having been created in a time when modern environmental concerns and technologies like solar panels and electric vehicles did not exist. The script calls for a discussion about updating this law to reflect 21st-century realities and the need for sustainable mining practices.

💡Supply Chains

Supply chains refer to the entire process of producing and delivering goods, from the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing and distribution. The script discusses how disruptions in supply chains, such as the lack of mask production in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight the importance of securing domestic sources of critical minerals for the clean energy transition.

💡Leaf Blowers

Leaf blowers are mentioned as an example of everyday tools that have historically been powered by gas, contributing to environmental pollution. The shift to electric-powered leaf blowers, which rely on critical minerals, illustrates how even small changes in consumer technology can have a role in reducing emissions and combating climate change.

💡Paradox of Mining and Climate Change

The paradox of mining and climate change refers to the contradiction that while mining is often seen as environmentally harmful, it is also essential for obtaining the materials needed for renewable energy technologies. This paradox is a central theme in the script, showing how the fight against climate change is more complex than it seems.

Highlights

Climate week in New York City is the largest annual climate event, focusing on energy consumption and renewable energy development.

Two-thirds of U.S. adults believe the country should prioritize renewable energy over fossil fuels, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey.

Renewable energy sources like wind and solar require critical minerals, such as lithium, copper, nickel, and cobalt, which must be mined.

There is a paradox: the fight against climate change relies on mining, which is often unpopular among environmental advocates.

Critical minerals are essential for building solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, making mining intrinsically linked to climate solutions.

Americans should engage in deeper discussions about the standards for mining, including where and how extraction should occur.

The U.S. mining law governing these practices was established in 1872, which is outdated and doesn't account for modern technological and environmental needs.

There is a need for a 21st-century law for mining, one that would allow responsible and environmentally sound production within the U.S.

The fight against climate change extends beyond electric vehicles, involving everyday tools like leaf blowers, which can contribute to emissions.

Electric leaf blowers are emissions-free but still rely on critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, often sourced from outside the U.S.

There is a lack of transparency about where the critical minerals used in common electronic devices are sourced from.

More regional production of these critical minerals could help reduce emissions and improve supply chain security.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of supply chains, particularly the lack of domestic production in essential goods like masks.

Americans need to have more discussions about whether certain areas are too environmentally or culturally sensitive for mining.

Ernest Shider emphasizes the importance of considering the environmental costs of mining while recognizing its necessity for renewable energy and fighting climate change.