Presentation short abstract

We examine 35 cases of environmental justice resistance across REEs supply chains (21 countries). Where and how are extraction frontiers expanding? How is the booming material demand and competition over green growth, defense and AI agendas configuring old and new extraction frontiers.

Presentation long abstract

Rare-earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 chemical elements considered critical for digitalization and for the energy transition, as well as military and aerospace applications. The International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests that to meet Net Zero Emissions goals the extraction of REEs would have to increase by a factor of 10 by 2030. Indeed, it has already increased by more than 85% between 2017 and 2020, driven mainly by the demand for permanent magnets for wind power technology and electric vehicles. Currently, China has almost the monopoly of REEs extraction and processing worldwide. Europe, US and other industrialized economies are deploying domestic and international strategies to secure the access to these strategic elements in their territories and abroad. We present a collaborative documentation process of EJ struggles taking place across REEs supply chains (extraction, processing and recycling sites).

We examine 35 cases of socio-environmental contention in 21 countries. We examine the trends regarding where the expansion of extraction frontiers is taking place (Artic, deep seas, in the Global South and within industrialized countries), how it is taking place (social, ecological and cultural impacts, procedural injustices, violences) and who is being affected and is resisting. We discuss how the growing demand for materials, green growth, defense and AI agendas, in the context of an accelerated geopolitical competition, as well as environmental justice resistances are configuring old and new extraction frontiers.