The transition to renewable energy requires a significant amount of critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper. However, around 54% of them are located on or near Indigenous territories. The extraction of these raw materials often leads to negative social, environmental, and economic impacts for the affected Indigenous communities, such as the pollution of land and water, the loss of biodiversity and the destruction of their livelihoods. The extraction of the raw materials required for the energy transition therefore runs the risk of deepening socio-ecological conflicts and existing injustices.
Therefore, the BMZ is aiming to implement a socially just ecological transformation, also known as a Just Transition. This can only be achieved successfully and at the necessary speed if it is carried out in collaboration with the most affected groups.
Multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) play an important role in this process. Through the creation of a battery passport, the Global Battery Alliance is committed to transparency and due diligence in the battery value chain. To obtain a battery passport, companies have to fulfill their due diligence obligations. These cover a wide range of topics, including the rights of Indigenous peoples. For this, the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Rulebook contains a detailed system of indicators. It forms a practical basis for the implementation of due diligence obligations in battery supply chains and provides helpful tips on how companies can structure the implementation of the indicators. The rulebook is currently being revised by Indigenous organizations before its final publication. MSPs such as the Global Battery Alliance are thus an important instrument for bringing together actors such as indigenous communities, companies, and legislators within complex processes in order to find equitable and innovative solutions.
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