This episode of the Weekly Tradecast looks at the rare metals and minerals used in mobile phones, laptops and electric car batteries with Clovis Freire, chief of the commodity research and analysis section at UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Electric vehicles are seen as clean because they don’t belch out exhaust fumes that fuel climate change. But some of the materials that go into them – especially the minerals and rare elements in their batteries – have large carbon footprints.
The environmental impact of extracting materials like cobalt, copper, lithium and graphite is a major concern.
In countries where much of the mining is done, there can be issues over human rights and the benefits to communities. With demand high and supplies limited, these materials also drive concerns about market domination by just a few producers.
Tune in to UN Trade and Development’s Clovis Freire to find out more about these rare metals and minerals and how to make them greener.
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56. Going Green: Simple ways to make our lives more environmentally friendly
55. Population pressure: What do 8 billion people (and more) mean for the world’s resources and development?
54. How green is green? Why we need more scrutiny to ensure sustainable investment really helps our planet
53. World Investment Report 2023: Weak FDI threatens clean energy transition and development goals
52. Greener getaways: Why sustainability is the ticket for tourists, countries and the travel industry
51. Credit crunch: Why we need an effective global system to deal with debt
50. The rise of the machines: What does AI mean for our jobs, privacy and humanity?
49. Global energy crisis: Prices may be cooling but more volatility is in the pipeline
48. Pollution solution: How plastic substitutes can help economies and the planet
47. History of hunger: How the war in Ukraine is making food crises even worse in Africa and least developed countries
46. Sweet spot: How honey can help economies, the environment and the bees
45. The future of energy: What’s the right mix for the economy and our planet?
44. All things being equal: Changing the rules around big data
43. Jobs in jeopardy? What a recession means for workers
42. Capitalizing on creativity: How imagination can support sustainable development
41. Banking on it: How safe is our financial system and should we fear another crisis?
40. Double whammy of debt: Why austerity measures multiply financial inequality for women
39. History in the making: Where has 100 years of multilateralism got us?
38. Ecosystems in peril: Why our future depends on protecting biodiversity
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