Kick-off for mining conference in South Africa: Is the EU continuing old injustices?
Berlin, 5 February 2024: Mining Indaba, the most important mining conference on the African continent, kicks off in South Africa on Monday. Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Franziska Brantner (BMWK) will also visit the country during the conference. It is to be feared that existing mining practices for the trade in raw materials with Germany and the EU could be further expanded, including the associated devastating consequences for the environment and human rights in South Africa. In December, the EU had Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) decided to ensure the supply of critical raw materials to the EU.
"While Germany and the EU are securing their raw material needs under the CRMA, relatives of past human rights violations are still waiting for justice", warns Hannah Pilgrim, author of a report published today, which provides insights into the raw material supply chains of manganese, iron ore and platinum – all raw materials that Germany obtains to a large extent from South Africa. The report stresses the resulting responsibility that Germany and the EU must assume as major consumers of raw materials.
"The definition of some metals as "critical" by the EU must not serve as a free pass for their quickest possible extraction, but rather as a reminder to address the existing challenges along metallic raw material supply chains. Germany’s excessive consumption of raw materials and its failure to take account of past human rights and environmental risks along these supply chains are critical,’ said Hannah Pilgrim. The report ‘New EU raw material needs, old injustices in South Africa’ is annexed.
For more information:
- For additional classification and background information, you will also find our eponymous Podcast episode.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:
- Hannah Pilgrim, Coordinator of the AK Raw Materials at PowerShift e.V., hannah.pilgrim@power-shift.de, +49-(0)30-41934182
