Resource Politics

The production and consumption of fossil, mineral and metallic raw materials not only contributes to climate change and environmental destruction worldwide, it also violates human rights, threatens our health and destroys livelihoods.

Coal mining and the destruction of landscapes continue worldwide, despite all the advanced debateson the urgency of phasing out oil and gas to protect the climate. But to satisfy the growing hunger forraw materials, even risk technologies such as fracking are being promoted. At the same time, the race for mineral and metallic raw materials is soaring, with risky strategies and unforeseeable consequences for humanity and the ecosystems.

To counteract these devastating developments, a resource transition is needed.

Current topics

Frontpage of Böll.Thema Cursed Treasures

Böll.Thema 2/23: Cursed Treasures

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.

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Limiting environmental damage, human rights abuses and Indigenous Peoples’ rights violations

Guidelines

These guidelines address the great concerns with the overall aims of the EU Critical Raw Materials Regulation (CRMR) of driving greater extraction of primary raw materials and increasing harm to nature and people.

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Großer felsiger Gesteinsberg im Vordergrund, der abgebaut wird.

How the EU Can Secure a Sustainable Supply of Critical Minerals

Analysis

The European Union has understood the importance of critical minerals in building a sustainable future. But neglecting to address the mining industry’s human-rights violations and environmental destruction could harm the ensure access to raw materials and boost the climate change.

By Johanna Sydow

Ein Muldenkipper fährt durch die Wüste zum Mineralabbau

Europe’s Flawed Approach to Critical Minerals

Commentary

The EU's Critical Raw Materials Act is peppered with commitments to “value-addition” in the countries where critical minerals will be mined and processed. But there is reason to believe that this means little.

By Sophia Pickles

Downstream due diligence

Policy Brief

Together with the Supply Chain Law Initiative, SOMO, Swedwatch and Germanwatch, we show in this short position paper why due diligence in downstream value chains is necessary and how it can be implemented. We also make key recommendations fort he EU supply chain law.

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Factsheet 10 Reasons Why Investing in Wintershall Dea is a Bad Idea

10 Facts about the polluting, high-risk and climate-damaging fossil acitvities of Wintershall DEA.

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Transformation by design, not by disaster

Report

Four areas of application show: Our current consumption of raw materials is globally and socially unjust and ecologically unsustainable. We need a raw material transition towards truly circular and sustainable producttion and consumption patterns.

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Towards a democratic and globally just resource policy

Germany depends on the import of metallic, mineral and fossil fuel resources. The extraction of these raw materials takes place at the expense of the environment and leads to human rights violations. The German Federal Government has to take these consequences adequately into account.

Deep Sea Mining

Towards a Contemporary Vision for the Global Seafloor

The present study, authored by scientists from different backgrounds, makes the eloquent case for such a reflection, pause, and reassessment. The publication is recommended to any reader concerned about our oceans' future.

Must We Risk Destroying the Ocean to Save the Planet?

Background

It is highly debatable whether deep-sea minerals are needed to enable the renewable-energy transition and decarbonize the global economy. The world must first show that seabed mining can yield long-term net benefits for sustainable development.

By Sabine Christiansen and Sebastian Unger

Videos

Verfall und Untergang - Die globale Fracking- und Gasindustrie in der Krise - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

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Fueling with Fire: Global/Transatlantic Interconnection - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

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Further contributions

Climate Leadership Means Ending Fossil-Fuel Production

This year alone, the world has faced unprecedented floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts on virtually every continent. A safe climate future requires ending the age of Big Oil.

By Tzeporah Berman and Lili Fuhr

Vaca Muerta Megaproject: A fracking carbon bomb in Patagonia

Argentina’s shale gas and shale oil resources are estimated in second and fourth place globally. Almost all of this potential is concentrated in the Neuquén basin in Northern Patagonia. This paper deals with the great risks to global climate and the impacts on the environment, health and society in the affected communities.

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Community Protocol Tool Box and Project Report

The NGO Natural Justice and its regional partners, with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, have jointly assisted a number of communities to develop community protocols in the context of extractive industries. You can download them and the project report here.

Memorandum: Resource Politics for a Fair Future

How could a just and democratic resource politics look like that respects both planetary boundaries and human rights? The Memorandum “Resource Politics for a Fair Future” is the outcome of a two-year international dialogue process of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.