Driving change, not deforestation

How Europe could mitigate the negative impacts of its transport transition

The transition to e-mobility is an essential component of efforts to achieve climate neutrality. But the transition also requires critical raw materials such as iron, bauxite, copper, manganese, nickel and cobalt, that are highly valued and sought after by defence, space and digital industries. The sourcing of these materials, if not adequately planned, could have devastating impacts on forests and rights.  

A new study commissioned by Fern and Rainforest Foundation Norway, and conducted by WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, and the think tank négaWatt has found that the EU’s reliance on critical raw materials for the transport sector could be significantly decreased by prioritising soft transport solutions, using innovative battery technology and limiting car and battery size.  

The study, for the first time, models different material demand scenarios and assesses their deforestation footprint. The scenarios are based on realistic mobility trends and the use of different battery technologies.

To make the transition to e-mobility less reliant on mining and forest destruction, the study points to three main leverage points for reducing Europe’s automobile industry’s reliance on critical raw materials and deforestation:  

• Encouraging car-sharing and public transport and reducing batteries and vehicle sizes 

• Enhancing recycling and prioritising low-deforestation battery technologies such as LFP batteries which are also more affordable 

• Ensuring responsible material sourcing by establishing “no-go zones” for mining, favouring countries with lower deforestation risks, enforcing strict due diligence and negotiating partnerships with resource rich countries that uphold high social and environmental standards.

There is no question of whether we need a sustainable transition in the transport sector, but we need to ensure that it doesn’t come at the expense of the world’s forests and the people living in them.

- Perrine Fournier, Forest and Mining Campaigner at Fern

Read the report

Categories: Reports, Critical minerals