As you may know, there is a big push towards renewables and electric vehicles as part of the goal of a net zero carbon emission future. In this episode, we talk about the pros and cons of this transition as it relates to the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) movement. Specifically, we discuss why there seems to be a bigger focus on the negative Environmental impacts with fossil fuels while the negative Social impacts around “renewables” gets less coverage. Finally, we talk about what materials that will be required to enable this transition and whether there will be opportunities for mineral owners to benefit from the growth in mining of minerals like lithium, cobalt, and copper.
Be sure to also subscribe on Apple Podcasts via the link above and please leave us an honest rating and review. We read every one of them and sincerely appreciate any feedback you have. To ask us a question to be featured on an upcoming episode, please leave a comment below or send an email to feedback@mineralrightspodcast.com.
Background on the Energy Transition
A recent Reuters article talks about the Biden Administration’s lofty climate goals and the push to have “a majority of US manufactured cars be electric by 2030 and every car on the road electric by 2040”. This article mentions that “securing enough cobalt, lithium and other raw materials to make EV batteries is a major obstacle, with domestic mines facing extensive regulatory hurdles and environmental opposition.” To combat these challenges, the Biden Administration says that it plans to rely on ally countries like Canada, Australia, and Brazil to supply most of the metals needed to build EV’s.
This article alludes to the trade off between carbon emissions and the environmental and social impacts of mining for cobalt, lithium, and the other raw materials that will be required to manufacture the more than 280 million vehicles in the US alone required to meet this goal. We do a deep dive on this issue and challenge the assumptions around this lofty goal.
You’ll Learn
- How “Green” are Electric Vehicles?
- How much energy does an EV require to drive 1,000 miles (in cubic feet of natural gas vs. pounds of coal, vs. the amount of time a wind turbine would need to spin).
- What minerals will see an increase in demand to enable the massive shift towards EV’s, Wind, and Solar?
- Where are these minerals found and where will the US obtain them?
- Will there be opportunities for mineral owners?
- Why are human rights violations overlooked in pursuit of “Green” Energy and focus on reduction of carbon emissions?
- How the Oil and Gas Industry could leverage ESG certification to be a bigger part of the “green” energy transition?
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Books
- The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels by Alex Epstein, a New York Times bestseller arguing that if we look at the whole picture, human flourishing requires that humanity use more fossil fuels not less. (WSJ review here.) The book has been widely praised as the most persuasive argument ever made for our continuing use of fossil fuels, winning Epstein the “Most Original Thinker of 2014” award from The McLaughlin Group.
Articles / Reports
- Mining holds the key to a green future – no wonder human rights activists are worried
- Green Energy’s Dirty Side Effects
- “THIS IS WHAT WE DIE FOR” Human Rights Abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Power the Global Trade in Cobalt (Amnesty International Report)
- Climate Explained: The carbon footprint of electric versus fossil cars
- BP Energy Outlook: Renewable energy in power grows quickly, driven by wind and solar power
- Installed electricity capacity worldwide in 2019, by source
- Exclusive: Biden looks abroad for electric vehicle metals, in blow to U.S. miners
- EXCLUSIVE Biden’s electric vehicle plan includes battery recycling push
- Lithium mining in the United States: why is it so controversial?
Thanks for Listening!
To share your thoughts:
- Leave a comment or question below (we read each one and your question may be featured in a future episode)!
- Ask a question or leave us feedback via email or voicemail: (720) 580-2088.
To help out the show:
Click the Apple Podcasts Logo Above to leave us a rating & review. It really helps us reach those that need to hear this information and only takes a minute. We greatly appreciate it! Plus, you can get a shout out on a future episode!
Thanks again – until next time!
