The rise of green tech is feeding another environmental crisis – BBC

 

Report on Lithium Extraction in Atacama, Chile, and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Conflict Between Global Climate Goals and Local Sustainability

The global transition towards renewable energy, a cornerstone of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), has exponentially increased the demand for lithium. This report examines the environmental and social consequences of lithium extraction in Chile’s Atacama salt flats, highlighting a significant conflict between global sustainability objectives and the localized degradation of ecosystems and communities. The situation in Atacama presents a critical case study on the challenge of achieving the 2030 Agenda in an integrated and indivisible manner, revealing how the pursuit of certain SDGs can directly undermine others, particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

Environmental Degradation and Contradiction of Core SDGs

SDG 6: Severe Impacts on Clean Water and Water-Related Ecosystems

Lithium mining in the Atacama region, a process heavily reliant on pumping vast quantities of brine, is placing acute pressure on already scarce water resources, directly contravening the targets of SDG 6.

• Water Depletion: The primary extraction method involves pumping brine from subterranean reservoirs to surface evaporation pools, a process that removes immense volumes of water from an arid ecosystem.
• Ecosystem Collapse: Wetlands such as the Vega de Tilopozo, which depend on groundwater springs, are reportedly drying up, transforming from lush green plains to cracked, arid landscapes. This directly undermines Target 6.6, which calls for the protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems.
• Community Water Access: The Peine indigenous community has been forced to overhaul its drinking water infrastructure due to shortages, indicating a failure to ensure the sustainable management of water resources as stipulated in Target 6.4.
• Scientific Evidence: A 2023 University of Chile study concluded that brine extraction is causing the Salar de Atacama to decline by 1-2 cm annually, leading to irreversible subsidence. An OECD Environmental Performance Review further noted the “acute” pressure on water resources from this industry.

SDG 15: Threats to Life on Land

The ecological balance of the Atacama salt flats is being severely disrupted, leading to biodiversity loss and land degradation, in direct opposition to the aims of SDG 15.

• Biodiversity Loss: Biologists in the Los Flamencos National Reserve have observed a decrease in lagoon sizes and a corresponding decline in flamingo reproduction. The mining process impacts microorganisms that form the base of the local food chain, affecting all dependent species and threatening Target 15.5 on halting biodiversity loss.
• Flora Degradation: A 2022 report by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that native “algarrobo” (carob) trees have been dying due to the impacts of mining, contributing to desertification and violating Target 15.1 on the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems.
• Livelihood Disruption: The degradation of pastureland has made traditional livelihoods, such as sheep farming practiced by local families for generations, increasingly untenable.

The Global Energy Transition: A Paradox for Sustainable Development

Driving Forces: SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action)

The surge in lithium mining is a direct result of global efforts to achieve key climate and energy goals. Lithium is an essential component for the batteries that power electric vehicles and store renewable energy, making it critical to decarbonization strategies.

1. Soaring Demand: Global lithium consumption more than doubled from 95,000 tonnes in 2021 to 205,000 tonnes in 2024 and is projected to exceed 900,000 tonnes by 2040, primarily driven by the electric vehicle market.
2. National Strategy: Chile, the world’s second-largest lithium producer, has launched a National Lithium Strategy to increase production, framing it as a contribution to the global fight against climate change and a source of national income.
3. The Central Conflict: This global push for green technology creates a profound paradox where actions taken to mitigate climate change (SDG 13) are causing severe, localized environmental damage, undermining the very principles of sustainable development.

Socio-Economic Implications and SDG Alignment

• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): While the government and mining companies promote the industry as a driver of economic growth, the benefits are unevenly distributed and come at the cost of disrupting traditional, sustainable economies.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Indigenous community members report bearing the environmental burden for a transition that primarily benefits developed nations. This highlights a growing inequality where the costs of decarbonization are externalized to vulnerable populations, contrary to the spirit of SDG 10.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The strain on essential resources like water threatens the long-term viability and resilience of local communities, challenging the objective of making human settlements inclusive, safe, and sustainable.

Stakeholder Responses and Pathways Forward

Indigenous Community Concerns and Calls for Justice

Local indigenous communities are advocating for their right to a healthy environment and for meaningful participation in decisions affecting their ancestral lands, aligning with the principles of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

• Lack of Consultation: Community leaders state that critical decisions are made in the capital, Santiago, without adequate involvement of the people who have inhabited the territory for millennia, violating Target 16.7 for inclusive decision-making.
• Prioritizing Nature over Compensation: Residents express that monetary compensation from mining companies cannot replace the loss of water and nature, stating a preference “to live off nature and have water to live.”
• Future Viability: There is deep anxiety about the long-term future of the region after the lithium reserves are depleted, with concerns that communities will be left without water or agriculture.

Industry and Government Initiatives: Towards SDG 12 (Responsible Production)

In response to criticism, both the Chilean government and mining companies are exploring measures to mitigate environmental damage and move towards more sustainable production models, in line with SDG 12.

• Technological Innovation: The mining firm SQM is piloting new technologies, including direct lithium extraction (DLE) from brine without evaporation and methods to capture and re-inject evaporated water. The stated goal is to reduce brine extraction by at least 50% while increasing production.
• Government Dialogue: The Chilean government asserts it is engaged in “ongoing dialogue with indigenous communities” to address concerns regarding water, technology, and community benefits.
• Community Skepticism: Local communities remain skeptical, fearing their territory is being used as a “natural laboratory” for unproven technologies whose long-term impacts on the delicate salt flat ecosystem are unknown.

Conclusion: The Imperative for an Integrated Approach to the SDGs

The situation in the Salar de Atacama demonstrates that a siloed approach to the Sustainable Development Goals is untenable. The global pursuit of climate action and clean energy cannot come at the expense of clean water, biodiversity, and social equity in other parts of the world. Achieving a just and sustainable global energy transition requires a holistic framework that integrates environmental protection (SDG 6, SDG 15), social justice (SDG 10, SDG 16), and responsible production (SDG 12) into all climate and energy strategies (SDG 7, SDG 13). Without this integrated approach, the global race to decarbonize risks creating new sacrifice zones and perpetuating the very inequalities the 2030 Agenda seeks to eliminate.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

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

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • The article extensively discusses the impact of lithium mining on water resources in the Atacama Desert, a drought-prone region. It highlights the drying of wetlands, shrinking lagoons, exhausted river basins, and water shortages faced by local communities due to the vast amounts of water and brine extracted during the mining process.
2. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The degradation of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems is a central theme. The article describes the negative effects on local flora and fauna, including the drying of the Vega de Tilopozo, the death of native carob trees, and a significant decrease in the flamingo population due to the disruption of their food chain and habitat.
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • The article addresses the soaring global demand for lithium, driven by the production of batteries for electric cars and renewable energy storage. It questions the sustainability of current extraction methods and highlights efforts by mining companies to pilot new technologies for more efficient and less damaging resource management.
4. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The core driver of the conflict is the global transition to clean energy. The article states that the demand for lithium is a direct result of the world’s shift to renewable energy sources and electric vehicles, framing the local environmental damage as an unintended consequence of pursuing global clean energy goals.
5. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article presents a paradox related to climate action. While lithium is essential for technologies that help combat global climate change (like electric cars), its extraction is exacerbating local environmental problems like water scarcity and ecosystem degradation, which are themselves compounded by climate change.
6. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article highlights the disproportionate impact on indigenous communities. It points out that these communities bear the environmental costs (water loss, ecosystem damage) of a “green transition” whose primary benefits (electric cars) are for developed nations. It also touches on their lack of inclusion in high-level decision-making processes.
7. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The economic dimension is discussed through the lens of national income for Chile versus the disruption of traditional local economies, such as sheep raising. It also presents the conflicting views on whether mining provides essential jobs and economic benefits or if it disrupts traditional livelihoods for a price the community is unwilling to pay.

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

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity.
  • The article directly relates to this by describing how lithium mining “extracts vast amounts of water in this already drought-prone region,” leading to “exhausted” river basins. The efforts by company SQM to pilot technologies to “reduce at least 50% of the current brine extraction” are a direct attempt to address this target.
• Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
  • This target is relevant as the article details the degradation of the Vega de Tilopozo wetland, which has gone from “all green” to “dry and cracked,” and the shrinking of local lagoons, directly impacting the ecosystem.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands.
  • The article’s focus on the Atacama salt flats, a dryland ecosystem, and the adjacent wetlands makes this target highly relevant. The narrative describes a failure to conserve these ecosystems due to mining activities.
• Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
  • The article provides specific examples of biodiversity loss, such as the “decrease in the reproduction of flamingos,” the impact on microorganisms that form the base of the food chain, and a report indicating that almost “one-third of the native ‘algarrobo’ (or carob) trees had started dying.”

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
  • The entire article is a case study on the unsustainable management of water resources to extract lithium. The discussion of new technologies, such as direct lithium extraction and water re-injection, reflects a move towards achieving more sustainable and efficient use of these natural resources.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all…
  • The article highlights a lack of inclusion, with a community leader stating, “Decisions are made in Santiago, in the capital, very far from here,” and calling for the government to involve “the indigenous people who have existed for millennia in these landscapes.”

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

Indicators for SDG 6 Targets

• Change in water extraction volume: The article mentions companies extracting “millions of cubic metres of water and brine – hundreds of litres per second.” A key indicator is the mining company’s stated goal to “reduce at least 50% of the current brine extraction” and its pilot program that has recovered “more than one million cubic metres” of water.
• Extent of water-related ecosystems: The article provides qualitative indicators like the drying of the Vega (“the Vega was all green… Now everything is dry”) and the fact that “lagoons here are smaller now.” A 2023 University of Chile study provides a quantitative indicator, stating the Salar de Atacama is “declining at a rate of between 1cm-2 cm per year.”

Indicators for SDG 15 Targets

• Biodiversity levels (Flamingo population): The article explicitly mentions a “decrease in the reproduction of flamingos” as an indicator of ecosystem health. The observation that flamingo chicks hatched “for the first time in 14 years” in one spot after a slight reduction in water extraction serves as a direct, observable indicator of change.
• Status of native flora: A 2022 report cited in the article provides a specific indicator of damage to flora: “almost one-third of the native ‘algarrobo’ (or carob) trees had started dying as early as 2013 due to the impacts of mining.” Monitoring the health and population of these trees would measure progress.

Indicators for SDG 12 Targets

• Global consumption of lithium: The article provides clear data points that can be used as indicators of consumption patterns: “95,000 tonnes of lithium was consumed globally” in 2021, which “more than doubled to 205,000 tonnes” by 2024, with a projection of “more than 900,000 tonnes” by 2040.
• Adoption of sustainable technologies: The article mentions the piloting of “new technologies” like direct lithium extraction and water capture/re-injection. The rate of adoption and rollout of these technologies (“Starting in 2031, we are going to start this transition”) serves as an indicator of progress towards sustainable production.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation	6.4: Increase water-use efficiency and address water scarcity. 6.6: Protect and restore water-related ecosystems.	– Volume of brine/water extraction (goal to reduce by 50%). – Volume of water recovered and re-injected (pilot recovered >1 million cubic meters). – Rate of decline of the Salar de Atacama (1-2 cm per year). – Surface area of lagoons and wetlands (qualitatively described as shrinking/drying).
SDG 15: Life on Land	15.1: Conserve and restore terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems. 15.5: Halt biodiversity loss.	– Flamingo reproduction rates (observed decrease, with a recent small success). – Population and health of native flora (e.g., report of 1/3 of carob trees dying).
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production	12.2: Achieve sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.	– Global lithium consumption volume (95,000 tonnes in 2021 to 205,000 in 2024). – Rate of adoption of new extraction technologies (pilots underway, transition planned for 2031).
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	10.2: Empower and promote the inclusion of all.	– Level of participation of indigenous communities in decision-making (implied to be low, as decisions are made “in Santiago”).
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy	7.2: Increase the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.	– Demand for lithium for electric car batteries and solar energy storage (driving the entire issue).

Source: bbc.com