News

The green transition is dependent on the availability of critical raw materials

  • 2021-06-08
  • 14:11
  • News

The pace of the green transition is directly related to the availability of critical raw materials. This is stated by both the World Bank and the International Energy Agency in their respective reports, which clearly show the increased need for critical minerals in the transition to a climate-neutral society.

We cannot continue to build our green transition on metals and minerals from undemocratic countries with weak, or non-existent, environmental legislation. Not to mention extensive shortcomings in the work environment and human rights. Then the green transition, just as Vetonu* writes in the Altinget, will be “dirty”, says Maria Sunér, CEO Svemin in a reply in the Altinget today.

The Vetonu network, together with 180 organizations, has signed a petition against the European Green Deal and the EU’s “unsustainable plans”. There is a lot to be said about the list of requirements the network puts forward. We choose to highlight some of the points.

The introduction of a veto that gives individuals the opportunity to decide whether socially important projects that create jobs for hundreds, perhaps thousands of people, account for tax revenues that can finance the public sector and support social activities, provide metals that build communities, healthcare and everyday life – it is very far from democratic principles, says Maria Sunér.

* Vetonu is a network formed in 2018 that wants to stop plans for mines in Skåne. They also want to change the Minerals Act so that municipalities, county councils, local communities and indigenous peoples are given the right to say no to mining. More on Vetonu.se (Swe)

> Read full reply and original debate post on Altinget.se (Swe)

> World Bank Report; Climate-Smart Mining: Minerals for Climate Action

> IEA Report; The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions


Photo: Svemin, Unsplash

Source/photo: IEA (2021), The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/the-role-of-critical-minerals-in-clean-energy-transitions