United Nations Investigation Warns of Systemic Injustice and Toxic Environmental Toll From Global Critical Mineral Mining

UN scientists reveal the hidden environmental and health crises caused by critical mineral extraction in Africa and South America to fuel the green energy transition.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 4:59 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from EurekAlert!

The Hidden Environmental Cost of the Global Energy Transition

A new investigation by the United Nations University has identified a growing paradox where the technologies intended to save the planet are creating localized ecological catastrophes. According to Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH, the extraction of critical minerals like lithium and cobalt is shifting environmental harm from wealthy nations to impoverished regions. The report emphasizes that while disruptions in technology are necessary to meet climate goals, the current lack of oversight means the world's most vulnerable populations are paying for global progress with their health and natural resources.

Severe Depletion of Water Reserves in Mining Regions

The intense water requirements for mineral extraction have reached a level that threatens the survival of local agricultural and domestic systems. In 2024, global lithium production consumed an estimated 456 billion litres of water, an amount roughly equal to the annual needs of 62 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. In Chile's Salar de Atacama, lithium mining now accounts for 65% of regional water usage, causing groundwater levels to drop by as much as nine metres in some areas and making staple crops like quinoa increasingly difficult to cultivate.

Toxic Waste Production and the Rare Earth Paradox

Beyond water consumption, the production of rare earth elements is generating an unprecedented volume of hazardous material. For every single tonne of these minerals extracted, approximately 2,000 tonnes of toxic waste are produced, alongside radioactive residue and contaminated wastewater. The UN report estimates that in 2024 alone, rare earth production created 707 million metric tonnes of toxic waste. This volume is so vast that it would require roughly 59 million garbage trucks to transport, a queue long enough to circle the Earth's equator 13 times.