Abstract:

This report focuses on policies that support the most effective strategy to limit the harms from battery supply chains: reducing the type and amount minerals needed. While there are many actions that we can and should take to lessen the harmful impacts of extracting minerals—such as early and often community engagement, improved extraction technologies, and reform of outdated mining laws and regulations—these harms can never be fully mitigated because extraction inherently requires some level of energy, land, and chemical use. Therefore, reducing the amount of mining needed through improvements in battery technology, second-life applications for vehicle batteries, and better recycling is key to reducing harms.