The world needs clean power, but decarbonization calls for a massive increase in the mining and extraction of minerals like lithium, graphite and cobalt. Environmental peacemaking expert Olivia Lazard sheds light on the scramble for these precious mineral resources -- and how the countries that control their supply chains (including China and Russia) could find themselves at the center of the new global stage. Learn why Lazard thinks planetary security depends on our ability to de-escalate resource competition and avoid the same mistakes that led to the climate crisis.

The blind spots of the green energy transition

Pursuing a clean energy future demands a massive increase in mining for minerals like lithium, cobalt, and graphite, which are mostly found in fragile or conflict-prone regions. Electric cars alone require six times more mineral inputs than conventional ones, and global mineral demand is set to soar by 500 percent by 2050. As powerful nations scramble to control these resources, old patterns of exploitation threaten to repeat, putting both planetary security and peace at risk. Only by rethinking resource management and prioritizing ecological integrity can society avoid new crises born from the green transition.