Dataset Information

The social and environmental complexities of extracting energy transition metals.

ABSTRACT: Environmental, social and governance pressures should feature in future scenario planning about the transition to a low carbon future. As low-carbon energy technologies advance, markets are driving demand for energy transition metals. Increased extraction rates will augment the stress placed on people and the environment in extractive locations. To quantify this stress, we develop a set of global composite environmental, social and governance indicators, and examine mining projects across 20 metal commodities to identify the co-occurrence of environmental, social and governance risk factors. Our findings show that 84% of platinum resources and 70% of cobalt resources are located in high-risk contexts. Reflecting heightened demand, major metals like iron and copper are set to disturb more land. Jurisdictions extracting energy transition metals in low-risk contexts are positioned to develop and maintain safeguards against mining-related social and environmental risk factors.

SUBMITTER: Lebre E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7519138 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

The social and environmental complexities of extracting energy transition metals.

Lèbre Éléonore É Stringer Martin M Svobodova Kamila K Owen John R JR Kemp Deanna D Côte Claire C Arratia-Solar Andrea A Valenta Rick K RK Valenta Rick K RK

Nature communications 20200924 1

Environmental, social and governance pressures should feature in future scenario planning about the transition to a low carbon future. As low-carbon energy technologies advance, markets are driving demand for energy transition metals. Increased extraction rates will augment the stress placed on people and the environment in extractive locations. To quantify this stress, we develop a set of global composite environmental, social and governance indicators, and examine mining projects across 20 met ...[more]

PMID: 32973153

Similar Datasets

Project description:This data relates to existing and planned electricity generation projects in Victoria, Australia. Planning Victoria, part of the Victorian Government, registered most projects. The technical performance data for the projects includes the electricity generated, input fuel, losses in the transmission of electricity, energy storage options, and transparency between grid operators and stakeholders. The social data related to the projects include health data for the effect of Victorian coal plant pollution, including a rich dataset on the health effects of a coal fire in (Jennens, 2021). A dataset for all the health effects of coal plants in Victoria was then compiled. The social data also includes a measure of customer engagement with electricity distribution companies in Victoria and public satisfaction with renewable projects in Victoria. The economic cost data includes capital costs, operation and maintenance costs, and externality costs related to greenhouse gasses emitted. The environmental data used a life cycle assessment and the critical materials needed for the electricity generation projects. The analysis performed was an nBL assessment (Foliente, 2007) which uses a comparative analysis of the four bottom lines (environmental, social, economic and technology). An nBL assessment is similar to a Triple Bottom Line assessment but includes additional parameters. The data used for this nBL analysis was for three scenarios (business as usual, a renewable generation future with electricity imported from other states and a renewable generation future with all electricity generated in Victoria). The first step in managing the raw data was to normalise, standardise and aggregate the data. These steps were done for the four bottom lines and the three scenarios. The reuse potential of this data is high as it is for a pipeline of projects that will continue to evolve. This data would also have the potential for other researchers to compare the Victorian electricity transition with other places internationally.

Dataset Information

The social and environmental complexities of extracting energy transition metals.

Publications

The social and environmental complexities of extracting energy transition metals.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets