Resources for renewables industry connected to human rights and environmental concerns - Misereor

A fairer procurement of resources needed to manufacture renewable energy facilities would help the energy transition “make a real contribution to more global justice and climate protection,” says catholic relief organisation Misereor in a press release. The boom of renewables has a “problematic side effect”, as it entails an increased need for natural resources, like iron ore from Brazil, copper from Peru and Chile, and bauxite from Guinea. While German companies put a lot of focus on sustainability criteria, human rights due diligence is still not implemented sufficiently, according to a Misereor study. “For renewables to actually supply ‘clean’ power, resource procurement must be free from human rights violations,” said Pirmin Spiegel, managing director at Misereor.

Find the press release in German here and the study in German here.