Displacement, Deforestation: How Sustainable turns Unsustainable in Lithium Production
Displacement, Deforestation: How Sustainable turns Unsustainable in Lithium Production
Lithium mining in Zimbabwe, Credit, African Arguements
A study found a link between lithium mining and a decline in two flamingo species in the Salar de Atacama in northern Chile, while various reports say the production of lithium through evaporation ponds needs around 21 million liters per day, the process leading to water shortages and conflicts, especially when greedy miners show involvement.
At Kakanfu village in north central Nigeria, links between lithium mining and environmental degradation stare at visitors, while profit-minded miners, attracted by one percent to 13 percent lithium-oxide content in the deposits at the area, engage in a frenzied 'lithium rush'.
Tibet contains 80 percent of China's total lithium reserves, but since Chinese companies increasingly take mindless advantage of the situation through rampant mining, links between the activity and the destruction of the natural environment surface, while miners swarm on the estimated 3.6 million tonnes of China's lithium reserves.
Lithium leads to the emergence of clean energy storage through the production of batteries, which doesn't emit greenhouse gases during operations, but with the global demand for lithium carbonate expected to surpass 2.4 million metric tonnes by 2030, greedy miners and other selfish interests cause diversity loss, environmental degradation, and the destruction of the natural environment.
In 2022, the United States consumed an estimated 3,000 metric tonnes of lithium, but demand for lithium batteries could grow more than six times, translating into $55 billion per year by the end of the decade, with the country expected to depend on imports for supplies.
Though lithium carbonate prices in China could decline by more than 30 percent this year from current levels, the demand for lithium still remains on the high side, with the production expected to expand by 40 percent in the next two years.
The demand for lithium could grow rapidly in the future in Australia, which is the world's largest producer of lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate, while the lithium hydroxide market could generate up to $10 billion per year in additional revenues for market participants by 2030.
With demand growing in countries such as the United States, China, and Australia, and with the same development happening in other countries, it's no surprise why desperate miners gravitate to the lithium sector, only to leave biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and the destruction to the natural environment in their wake.
In 2016, protesters stood on the streets of Tagong, a town on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau, plucking dead fish from the waters of the Liqi river and throwing them on the ground, over chemical leaks from the nearby Ganzizhou Rongda lithium mine.
India's reserves of lithium amounts to more than 5.9 million metric tonnes, the sixth largest in the world, but proven technologies of lithium exploration via surface mining or brine evaporation need a lot of land for operations, leading to the stripping of trees from the natural vegetation.
Lithium sits on the brink of becoming Zimbabwe's biggest mineral export after gold and platinum, registering $209 million in export receipts in 2022, but trouble exists through harmful environmental practices tied to mining, as well as the displacement of local community people.
With desperate miners taking advantage of the rising demand for lithium, biodiversity loss and harmful environmental practices could continue to shape lithium mining, which could impact on climate change through the stripping of trees from the natural environment, and the ensuing deforestation means carbon emissions.
For lithium to be sustainable as a way to slow down the effects of climate change, sustainable lithium extraction methods should be implemented, to reduce the quantity of water and energy used in the extraction process, especially as mines use 2.2 million liters of water to produce one ton of lithium.
To cut down the amount of energy used in the development process, new technologies may need to be evolved, to vastly decrease the electricity, steam, land, and other resources required to produce lithium, which could have its demand grow nearly five-fold by 2050.
To produce lithium in line with goals to decarbonize the global transport sector, more data on the footprints of the lithium supply chain will help to increase accountability in the industry, to cope with the expenses of the sector, since 70 percent of new vehicles will be EV by 2040, boasting the demand for lithium.
Sustainable extraction methods, new technologies, and increased accountability in the lithium sector could cut down on the biodiversity loss during extraction, since greedy miners and other unscrupulous figures will be checked, and this will certainly increase the prospect of lithium to enable the planet cope with climate change.
Exploding Sector in Climate Tech
Climate Data Analytics
These are technologies for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting climate data to support climate risk assessment, adaptation planning, and decision-making processes across various sectors.
Investment and innovation in these sectors are driven by the growing recognition of the urgent need to mitigate climate change and transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon economy.
The Global Climate Data Analysis Market size was valued at USD 895 Mn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 6249.43 Mn by 2029, at a CAGR of 32 %.
2. Satellite Imaging
This sector leverages satellite technology to capture, process, and deliver valuable insights and information about the Earth's surface, enabling various industries and organizations to make informed decisions and address challenges ranging from environmental conservation to urban development and national security.
The Global Satellite Imaging market size was valued at USD 3.27 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow from USD 4.16 billion in 2023 to USD 14.18 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 19.12% during the forecast period.
Carbon Footprint Management
The carbon footprint management sector encompasses a range of strategies, technologies, and practices aimed at measuring, monitoring, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with human activities.
This sector addresses the need for organizations, businesses, governments, and individuals to understand and mitigate their contributions to climate change.
The Carbon Footprint Management Market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $9.65 billion in 2023 to $10.18 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5%.
Opportunities for Climate Tech Creators, Founders, and Activists
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IC Center for Career Exploration & Development
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World Assembly of Youth (WAY) @way_hq The World Bank Group (WBG) Youth Summit 2024 Pitch competition has officially launched they are now accepting submissions! Apply by 1 March 2024 (11:59 EST). Submit your proposal here: https://youthsummit24.wufoo.com/forms/wbg-youth-summit-2024-pitch-competiti
What to Eat
Vegan food from Tibet, Credit, Tibetan Nun Project