EVs Destroy Indigenous Woodlands

EV batteries contain nickel. The metal is widely used for battery cathodes because it boosts energy density and increases range. Some of the mined metal comes from indigenous woodlands plagued by deforestation and other environmental destruction. Volkswagen, Ford and Tesla are among the electric carmakers whose batteries may contain nickel from such areas.

Corporate disclosures show mines in the battery supply chain of many automotive giants are linked to the loss of trees in Sulawesi, a wildlife hot spot in Indonesia, which houses the world’s largest nickel deposits. Satellite analysis shows the mines have led to widespread deforestation of primary rain forest in nickel-rich lands inhabited by the indigenous Tolaki people.

Ore from the Cahaya and Hengjaya mines was traced through regional smelters and Chinese processing plants run by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, a cathode manufacturer that supplies CATL, the world’s largest battery maker. U.S. and European carmakers are end-users.

Wadimula, a Tolaki elder whose home sits on the edge of the 21,000-hectare Cahaya mining concession, stated, “We used to ask the forest for protection in return for our offerings. Destroying it means destroying our own life.”

Electric vehicles are allegedly more environmentally friendly than fossil fuel-burning engines, but western carmakers simply can’t clean up supply chains for batteries built with the critical minerals. It doesn’t matter whether those minerals come from Africa, Asia or South America. Failure to curb the boom of material-hungry electric/hybrid vehicles is exacerbating destruction by increasing the amount of minerals mined.

The shift to a fake carbon-free economy is pushing up demand for critical minerals in countries with weak environmental safeguards, despite experts arguing the mining boom can be tempered. In 2023, a report found lithium demand in the US transport sector could be reduced by 18% to 66% compared with a business-as-usual scenario, by improving public transport, walking and cycling more. So in other words, the only true answer is to either never use a vehicle… or crowd yourself onto public transport, which is subject to union strikes and lunatics who take public transport. No thank you!

Nickel mining may be responsible for two-thirds of forest lost since 2001 in the areas in this report. To make matters worse, global demand for nickel is expected to double to by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency. Much of that will be mined in Indonesia and then refined in China. The loss of trees in mining concessions means the carbon footprint of nickel from the worst mines may be up to 500 times greater than previously reported. How many times have I stated an electrified world is not a green world?

Carmakers listed as end-users include Volkswagen, Volvo, Ford, General Motors, Tesla, BMW, Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai. Many of the companies said they did not source nickel directly. They supposedly required suppliers to comply with responsible sourcing standards, but declined to share the results of on-site audits. That sounds like code for, “We know we’re guilty, and we don’t care.”

Follow the money. Quit letting the environmental wackos fool you. Electric vehicles are not green; they just alter the type of pollution.

Source used: Guardian

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