UK faces pressure to ban imports linked to Uyghur forced labour in green tech supply chains – Tribune India

Report on Human Rights and Sustainable Development in UK Critical Mineral Supply Chains

Executive Summary

A coalition of leading human rights organisations has submitted evidence to the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, highlighting significant conflicts between the United Kingdom’s green energy objectives and its commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The submission details how the UK’s reliance on critical minerals from China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Uyghur Region) embeds severe human rights abuses, specifically forced labour, into its supply chains. This report outlines the key findings and their direct implications for several SDGs, including SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Violation of SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The evidence presented demonstrates a profound violation of SDG 8, particularly Target 8.7, which calls for the eradication of forced labour and modern slavery.

• Widespread, state-imposed forced labour underpins industrial production in the Uyghur Region.
• An estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims have been subjected to detention or forced labour programs since 2017.
• Extreme state surveillance and coercion make it impossible for companies to conduct credible human rights due diligence, meaning any corporate presence in the region risks complicity in these abuses.
• The system directly contravenes the principles of decent work and perpetuates an apparatus of state repression.

Conflict Between SDG 7, SDG 12, and SDG 13

The UK’s pursuit of SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) is creating a direct conflict with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The sourcing of minerals essential for the green transition is tainted by unethical labour practices and environmentally damaging production methods.

Supply Chains Implicated in Forced Labour

1. Solar Energy (Polysilicon): Over 45% of the world’s solar-grade polysilicon originates from the Uyghur Region. Major solar panel manufacturers are linked to state-sponsored labour transfer schemes, compromising the ethical integrity of solar energy supply chains.
2. Electric Vehicles (Lithium & Manganese): China processes 44% of the world’s lithium chemicals, with significant production tied to the Uyghur Region. Producers of both lithium and manganese are implicated in forced labour, indicating that most electric vehicle battery supply chains are contaminated by these human rights abuses.
3. Manufacturing (Aluminium): Nearly 12% of global aluminium production capacity is located in the Uyghur Region. Major smelters participate in labour transfer programs, using forced labour and subsidised coal power to distort global markets and undermine ethical and sustainable producers.

Environmental Contradictions

• The processing of these critical minerals in the region is heavily dependent on coal-based energy.
• This reliance on fossil fuels for the production of green technology components undermines the core objectives of SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Recommendations for Upholding SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The organisations urge the UK government to build stronger institutions and legal frameworks to address these atrocities, in line with SDG 16. The core recommendation is to ensure a “just transition” that advances both climate and human rights goals.

• Introduce Legislation: The UK should enact legislation, similar to the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), to ban the import of all goods produced with forced labour. This would provide the “legislative teeth” necessary to enforce ethical standards.
• Align with Partners: The UK must align with international allies to create a united front against sourcing from regions implicated in atrocity crimes, reinforcing SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
• Build Ethical Supply Chains: The government must lead efforts to build transparent, resilient, and ethical supply chains free from Uyghur forced labour, ensuring the UK’s green transition does not come at the cost of fundamental human rights.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article highlights issues that are directly and indirectly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The core themes of forced labour, unethical supply chains for green technology, and calls for legislative action connect to the following SDGs:

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The central theme of the article is the prevalence of “state-imposed forced labour” in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which is a direct violation of the principles of decent work.
   • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article discusses the need to create ethical and transparent supply chains for critical minerals, urging the UK to end its reliance on goods produced under forced labour. This relates to ensuring sustainable production patterns.
   • SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The issue is intrinsically linked to the “green energy transition,” as the minerals in question (polysilicon, lithium) are “vital” for solar panels and electric vehicle batteries. The article highlights the ethical dilemma of pursuing clean energy goals through supply chains tainted by human rights abuses.
   • SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article calls for justice for the victims of forced labour and urges the UK government to create “strong institutions” through legislation, such as a ban on imports, similar to the US “Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).” It addresses the “apparatus of repression” and “atrocity crimes.”
   • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The submission to the UK Parliament by a coalition of human rights organisations and the call for the UK to “align with allies like the US” demonstrates the importance of multi-stakeholder and international partnerships to address the issue.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the specific issues discussed, the following targets can be identified:

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

     • Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking. The article’s entire focus is on the “widespread state-imposed forced labour” and the call to end reliance on products made under these conditions.

   • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

     • Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The article calls for diversifying supply chains for critical minerals away from sources that are not only unethical but also environmentally damaging due to reliance on “coal-based energy.”
     • Target 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle. The article warns that “companies operating in the Uyghur Region must be presumed complicit in forced labour” and that major solar and EV manufacturers are linked to these practices, highlighting the need for corporate accountability.

   • SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

     • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article explicitly mentions that the minerals (polysilicon, lithium) are “vital to the green energy transition” and are used in solar manufacturing and electric vehicles, but it problematizes the current methods of achieving this target.

   • SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

     • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. While not focused on children, the principle of ending exploitation is central. The article describes the situation as involving “atrocity crimes” and an “apparatus of repression.”
     • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The call for the UK to “introduce legislation banning the import of goods made with forced labour” is a direct appeal to strengthen the rule of law and provide a mechanism for justice.

   • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

     • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships. The submission of evidence by a coalition of seven human rights organisations exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership working towards a common goal.
     • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article’s call for the UK government to “align with allies like the US” points to the need for effective public-public partnerships (international cooperation) to create ethical supply chains.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article provides both quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure the scale of the problem and any progress towards resolving it.

   • Indicator for Target 8.7 (Eradicate forced labour): The article states that an “estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims have been detained or subjected to forced labour since 2017.” A reduction in this number would be a direct indicator of progress. The existence of “state-sponsored labour transfers” is a qualitative indicator of the problem’s institutional nature.
   • Indicator for Target 12.2/12.6 (Responsible Production): The article provides market share percentages that indicate dependency on the region: “more than 45% of the world’s solar-grade polysilicon,” “44% of the world’s lithium chemicals,” and “nearly 12% of global aluminium production capacity” are located in the Uyghur Region. A decrease in these percentages for global supply chains would indicate progress in diversification.
   • Indicator for Target 16.3 (Strong Institutions): The call to “introduce legislation banning the import of goods made with forced labour” serves as a key policy indicator. The passage of such a law, similar to the “Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)” in the US, would be a concrete measure of progress in strengthening institutions to combat this issue.
   • Indicator for Target 17.16 (Partnerships): The joint submission of written evidence by seven leading human rights organisations is itself an indicator of an active multi-stakeholder partnership.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Summary

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators Identified in the Article
   SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth	8.7: Eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking.	The estimated number of people in forced labour (1.8 million); existence of “state-sponsored labour transfers.”
   SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production	12.2: Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. 12.6: Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices.	Percentage of global production sourced from the region (e.g., 45% of polysilicon, 12% of aluminium); number of companies linked to labour transfer schemes.
   SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy	7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.	The link between critical minerals (polysilicon, lithium) and key renewable energy sectors (solar, EV batteries).
   SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	16.2: End abuse, exploitation, and all forms of violence. 16.3: Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice.	The call for and introduction of new legislation (like the UFLPA) to ban imports made with forced labour; references to “atrocity crimes.”
   SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals	17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development. 17.17: Encourage effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.	The joint submission by a coalition of 7 human rights organisations; the call for the UK to align its policies with allies like the US.

Source: tribuneindia.com