To produce the quantity of vehicles and energy generators required to achieve climate neutrality, a many-fold greater volume of minerals is needed than is consumed by devices using fossil fuels. Furthermore, with current technologies, the volumes of these minerals being extracted will not be able to meet even European demand, let alone that of the entire world.
This conclusion was voiced at the 8th International Conference of the Forest Certification Council of Latvia, Changes and Solutions in Environmental Policy for Sustainable, Climate-Neutral Economic Development. To achieve climate neutrality goals, it is necessary to replace fossil-fuel vehicles with electric cars, the production of which requires a wider range and also a greater quantity of metals. The exact same applies to wind and solar energy generation equipment. At the same time, rapidly increasing mineral extraction is not possible in such a short time. Because of these minerals, there may even be open and covert conflicts between countries regarding the extraction and use of these relevant minerals.