Press Release: Inside Out, new report on renewable energy and the future of mining

Press Release

New York, NY – Friday, April 17, 2020 –

A new report by JFI Lead Independent Researcher Francis Tseng provides one of the most comprehensive surveys to date on the relationship between a transition to renewable energy infrastructure and the myriad harms of mining. As the Trump Administration recently issued an executive order encouraging private US mineral extraction in space, and the State Department stakes a claim to other rare earth minerals, the piece provides a timely look at the future of mining and issues of outsourced harm that such mining can entail.

The full report is accompanied by a shorter summary on our blog, Phenomenal World. Some key points include:

Transitioning to renewable energy will increase global reliance on metals, in particular rare earths, some of which could be in limited ready supply without problematic extraction
The global industry in minerals production is rife with conflict and environmental and human rights impacts
Looking to the future, private industry and governments are exploring radical, and quite possibly misguided, alternatives to terrestrial mining—including sourcing minerals in the deep sea and outer space
Grappling with the complications of minerals production is necessary as we look toward a post-carbon future

Read the full press release here.