New Report on Minimizing Mining Impacts from Electric Vehicles

Today, the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney, in collaboration with Earthworks, released a new report, Minimizing Mining Impacts on the Road to Zero Emissions Transport. The report outlines specific measures to avoid the harmful environmental and social impacts of increased mineral and metal mining for electric vehicle batteries while transitioning from fossil fuel-based transport systems.

While EVs are important in decarbonizing passenger road transportation, they are mineral-intensive. EV batteries require hundreds of pounds of minerals, such as cobalt, lithium, and nickel, which are almost exclusively mined or extracted from the ground today at great cost to communities and the environment. 

“As we seek to reduce emissions from road transport, the priority has been on switching from fossil-fuel-powered cars to EVs,” said Elsa Dominish, the report’s lead researcher. “But we can reduce emissions much more rapidly if we focus not just on switching one technology for another, but on changing our transport systems so we are less reliant on private vehicles. Transitioning to active and public transport not only requires far less minerals than EVs and produces less emissions, but it also  creates many other benefits, including equitable access to mobility, increased safety for pedestrians, improved health, and better quality of life.”

The impacts of mining related to the energy transition and EVs are becoming more widely understood, yet little research exists on what can be done to reduce these impacts. The report, based on in-depth data, case study analysis, and interviews with experts from around the world, shows that there are a number of practical, accessible strategies available to minimize the mining impacts associated with EVs. It includes six case studies demonstrating how technology and strategies to reduce mineral demand exist and are already being implemented worldwide. 

The report emphasizes that a socially just transition is essential, ensuring the benefits of low-emission transport are equitably shared and do not disproportionately impact vulnerable communities. It identifies five practical pathways to transition road passenger transportation to net-zero emissions in a way that minimizes mineral demand and mitigates mining impacts:

• Reduce Car Dependence: Redesign cities to promote public transport, walking and cycling, reducing the need for private vehicles.
• Smaller and More Efficient EVs: Shifting to smaller EVs and batteries and more efficient battery designs could reduce cumulative material demand for batteries by up to 25% between now and 2050.
• Intensive Use of Vehicles and Batteries: Encourage reusing, remanufacturing, and repurposing EV batteries to extend their lifespan and reduce new mining needs.
• Close the Loop on Battery Materials: Improve recycling processes to recover minerals from end-of-life batteries, decreasing the demand for new raw materials.
• Responsible Sourcing of Minerals: Ensure mining practices respect human rights and environmental standards, particularly Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for Indigenous Peoples.

“For a truly just and equitable energy transition, we must consider the impacts on communities along the entire electric vehicle supply chain, from the extraction of minerals to their processing, use, and end-of-life,” said Payal Sampat, Earthworks Mining Program Director. “This research gives us a roadmap for meeting our climate goals without compromising human rights or ecosystem protection.” 

The report concludes that the technologies to support most of these strategies are readily available, and while some face political and/or social or economic barriers, many interventions can make swift impacts. These could include policy interventions, such as incentivizing smaller batteries, mandating battery recycling, and extending subsidies to e-bikes and second-hand EVs. There are also innovative circular economy business models, such as battery swapping and vehicle refurbishment.

For more information, visit earthworks.org/campaigns/just-clean-energy

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Earthworks protects communities and the environment from the adverse impacts of mineral and energy development while promoting sustainable solutions. We’re driven by our commitment to collaborating with communities on the frontline, using science innovatively, and building people’s power to ensure a more just and livable future. 

The Institute for Sustainable Futures is an independent research institute within the University of Technology Sydney. We conduct transdisciplinary, project-based research to create positive change toward sustainable futures.