Webinar Net zero emissions ≠ zero pollution

The EEB is the largest network of environmental citizens’ organisations in Europe. It currently consists of 180 member organisations in 38 countries, including a growing number of networks, and representing some 30 million individual members and supporters.

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB)

The LOCOMOTION project is glad to invite you to the webinar Net zero emissions ≠ zero pollution on 2 June.

Thank you for your interest in our webinar!

During the EU Green Week Partners, the <a href="https://www.locomotion-h2020.eu/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">LOCOMOTION project</a> will host the webinar Net zero emissions ≠ zero pollution: Inconvenient (pollution) truths about the green energy supply chain.About the eventThere is no doubt that we need a large-scale deployment of renewable energy to meet Paris Agreement targets. Nonetheless, no energy source comes free of environmental and social side effects. Although renewable energy sources are, as the name suggests, renewable and sustainable, the technologies to harness and utilise them are a different story.Not only does the construction of solar panels, wind turbines and other forms of renewable technology produce greenhouse gas emissions, it also requires an extensive amount of rare minerals. Moreover, the <a href="https://meta.eeb.org/2019/12/03/the-renewable-revolution-cannot-occur-with-limitless-growth-experts-warn/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Energy Return on Investment (EROI)</a>, i.e. the amount of energy that must be invested to generate usable energy, drops considerably during the transition, according to our models.A renewable energy boom will accelerate the expansion of mining and might lead to a rush to enlarge existing or opening new mines in Europe and across the globe. Mining is known for being one of the most polluting industries in the world. Extraction and primary processing of metals and minerals are responsible for <a href="https://www.euractiv.com/section/circular-economy/news/resource-extraction-responsible-for-half-worlds-carbon-emissions/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">a quarter of global carbon emissions</a>. Together with agriculture, these industries account for up to<a href="https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/global-resources-outlook" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> 90% of global biodiversity loss </a>and water stress impacts.Our models show that, if all the world’s cars become electric by 2050 and recycling rates remain low there will be <a href="https://theecologist.org/2020/oct/05/unsustainability-electric-car" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">critical shortages of numerous minerals</a>, including lithium copper, lithium, manganese and nickel. Besides, there are the negative environmental and social impacts of mining activities all around the globe (especially in the Global South). For example, even global leaders in environmental standards have trouble keeping their commitment. Canada, for example, a self-proclaimed <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/05/when-it-comes-to-climate-hypocrisy-canadas-leaders-have-reached-a-new-low" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">global leader in climate action</a>, has 61 reported cases in the Environmental Justice Atlas, which records cases of environmental conflict around the world, with close to <a href="https://ejatlas.org/conflict/alberta-tar-sands-canada" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">30% of those cases involving the mining industry</a>. Conflicts around existing and proposed mines related to materials for renewable energy infrastructure are popping up all over Europe, from Greenland to Serbia and from Portugal to Finland.Agenda 10:00 - 10:10 Welcome and introduction to LOCOMOTION (Katy Wiese, Associate Policy Officer for Economic Transition, European Environmental Bureau)10:10 - 10:20 Presentation of two or three alternative of policy questions that can be simulate and vote by the audience (Nathalie Wergles, Project manager LOCOMOTION, University de Valladolid)10:20 - 11:10 The hidden social and environmental costs and limitations of the EU energy transitionSpeakersIñigo Capellán Pérez (Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Valladolid) on the hidden environmental costs of renewable energyMarga Mediavilla (Professor, University of Valladolid) on the hidden environmental cost of electric carsDirk-Jan Van de Ven (Postdoctoral Researcher, BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change) on the hidden land costs of solar energyDiego Marin (Assistant Environmental Justice, European Environmental Bureau) on the hidden environmental costs of mining for the renewable transition and policy recommendations11:10-11:25 Presentation of results of modelling exercise (Nathalie Wergles, Project manager LOCOMOTION, University de Valladolid)11:25-11:30 Closing and farewell (Katy Wiese, Associate Policy Officer for Economic Transition, European Environmental Bureau)Join the discussion on 2 June!

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