Indonesian farmers on Wawonii Island are using machetes to protect their land against nickel miners, this article reports. The global demand for metals used in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel has led to a rush by foreign and domestic enterprises to mine in Indonesia, the world’s largest nickel producer. The article discusses how land disputes have led to armed confrontations, riots and protests.
New research on migrant labor in Taiwan highlights ongoing abuse in electronics, bicycle, and auto parts manufacturing, despite existing legal safeguards. The report calls on stakeholders to implement preventive measures to stop abuse of migrant…
Efforts to establish a global minerals agreement at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) met opposition, though talks will continue. The proposal aims to establish a panel of experts that will identify ways to prevent…
As states meet for the United Nations Environment Assembly, Colombia and several other countries have proposed a binding global treaty to address environmental and human rights risks in mineral extraction, including measures for due diligence…
An advocacy group in the U.S. is suing Apple, saying that the company profited from using conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. The case filed in Washington D.C., argues that…
China’s latest export restrictions on rare earths — with 17 metallic elements used as critical minerals in electronics, renewable energy, and defense industries — have sent shockwaves through global supply chains. As the world’s dominant…
The Turkish government has blocked a planned strike by mineworkers at the state-owned mining giant Eti Maden, invoking “national security” concerns just hours before industrial action was set to begin. The strike, organized by IndustriALL…
In the article published by the Reuters, Brazilian labor prosecutors have launched a high-profile lawsuit against Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD and several of its subcontractors, due to alleged “slavery-like conditions” and international human trafficking….
A recent study Sembada Bersama Indonesia, “Workers Waiting to Die in Morowali: The Risks of Occupational Diseases in One of the World’s Largest Nickel Industrial Zones” (Aug 2023–Dec 2024), uncovers alarming occupational health and safety…
A new report by the Taiwan Transnational Corporation Watch on the human rights and environmental impact of Taiwanese business in Indonesia, including a chapter on Pegatron (major contract manufacturer in electronics) and the impact of…
