Resources

The German supply chain act is a step forward, and the ongoing negotiations on a European equivalent also offer some hope for greater protection of human rights, the climate and the environment. These laws alone will not suffice make the extractive sector truly fairer and more sustainable, however.

Dead animals and sick people, dry or polluted wells: Espinar shows that national institutions are failing to manage the consequences of industrial mining, which endangers the lives of hundreds of children, men and women.

They have all experienced how companies exploit their country’s resources without taking responsibility for the consequences; how people’s livelihoods are being destroyed and they are being driven out of their ancestral lands. Activists have decided not to take this lying down. They fight against powerful companies and the inaction of their own governments. Six examples from six countries.

The EU Commission is working towards sustainable solutions for the supply of critical raw materials, but the EU Critical Raw Material Act lacks specific proposals.

The Critical Raw Materials Act proposed by the European Commission provides – in addition to recycling – for the reactivation and expansion of mining in Europe. What does this mean for resource-rich European countries? How do their civil societies feel about the run on raw materials on their doorstep? Three views from Serbia, Sweden and Ukraine.

Smelters and refineries have enormous geopolitical importance. In order to reduce dependencies on countries such as China, the EU is planning to further expand its domestic capacities. In doing so, Europe must not ignore the industrial policy interests of resource-rich partner countries and regions, but make them attractive offers.

Destroyed salt flats, exploited glaciers, irreversible desertification: Resource extraction has brought Chile’s ecosystem to a dangerous tipping point in many areas, disenfranchising indigenous peoples and excluding the country and its population from value creation. We spoke with Sara Larraín of Chile Sustentable about the limits of our consumption, indispensable conditions for further extraction and an attitude characterized by respect and cooperation.

«For repairs to become the default choice again, they need to be easier and cheaper.» Why repairing should be at the forefront again and how a fair repair market and more repair knowledge can pave the way.

Our industrial production requires a secure supply of metals. Mining is a global business, subject to extensive EU legislation. It often goes hand in hand with human-rights violations, and its ecological costs are high. Yet concepts, strategies and technologies do exist that could reduce our consumption of metals – and lead to fairer ways of mining them. An overview.

On a new and intelligent use of resources, as metallic raw materials serve as the foundation for the energy transition, digitization, as well as the transport and construction sectors.

Global demand for critical and strategic raw materials is on the rise. These resources are indispensable, particularly for the transition to clean energy, but also within other industry sectors. In this issue of our Böll.Thema magazine, we provide insights into recent developments in resource extraction, the associated challenges, and, most importantly, opportunities for positive change.

The peatlands of Africa's Cuvette Centrale in the Congo Basin store more carbon than the rainforest that overhangs it. But peat is only valuable as a carbon store if it remains water-saturated and untouched in the soil. An interview with Irene Wabiwa Betoko, International Project Leader, Congo Basin Forest of Greenpeace Africa.

A new report from the DRGR project analyzes new data on the level and composition of public and private external sovereign debt for emerging markets and developing economies and how this relates to climate vulnerability.

Emilia Reyes is an international advocate for women's rights and expert on gender responsive public policies and budgets and sustainable development, including comprehensive disaster risk management and climate change. She highlights the necessity of degrowth and the issues of our global neoliberal system.

Tarcila Rivera Zea from the Quechua-Chanka Nation of Peru has been an important indigenous activist and recognized defender of the rights of indigenous girls, women, youth and peoples for more than 40 years. She provides wisdom on how to educate young people to value Mother Earth.

Keya Chatterjee is the Executive Director of US Climate Action Network (USCAN) and author of the book The Zero Footprint Baby: How to Save the Planet While Raising a Healthy Baby. She lays out how to defend democracy and fight the climate crisis.

Hilda Flavia Nakabuye is a Climate, Gender and Environmental Rights Activist, Public Speaker, Writer and Founder of Fridays For Future - Uganda. She exlains how climate justice necessarily means social justice.

Anna Cavazzini has been a member a Member of the European Parliament for The Greens/EFA since 2019. She gives her thoughts on what needs to be done to secure a circular economy and a just transition.

How the war in Ukraine threatens global food security – an interview with Dr Martin Frick, head of the Berlin office of the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

A new policy paper by the Global Forest Coalition addresses offsets to biodiversity. It shows that offsets mostly do not contribute to biodiversity conservation and also have significant negative impacts on women and indigenous peoples.