As part of an effort to build out a domestic supply chain for renewable technologies, like electric car vehicles, U.S. President Joe Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to speed up domestic production of lithium and other critical materials. But the push to expand mining in the U.S. faces strong headwinds.
Climate Change
President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement sparked widespread criticism beyond U.S. borders as well as debate on how best to proceed without Washington’s involvement. The WPR series examines the effects of climate change, and the trends that shape climate policy, in countries around the world.
2022 marks nearly five decades since the death of Chinese leader Mao Zedong, but the legacy of his Great Leap Forward lingers on for Chinese farmers that raise livestock and fish or grow crops. Chinese history has made many demands of the country’s agricultural workers, relying on their labor while granting few benefits in return.
The great environmental benefit of electric vehicles, no matter where they are produced or driven, is that they generate zero tailpipe emissions. That’s a huge plus, given that transportation accounts for 14 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and about 8 percent in China. But the environmental news isn’t all good.