“Around the world, companies engaged in the energy transition seem to be making record profits, while the Congolese workers who are bringing cobalt to global markets are falling further into poverty. The switch to clean energy must be a just transition, not one that leaves Congolese workers in increasingly desperate living conditions.”– Josué Kashal, Manager at CAJJ
A new study released today focuses on the “living wage” and its impact on workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo who are employed at the world’s largest industrial cobalt mines. These mines play a crucial role in the production of lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles. More than 70% of the world’s cobalt is extracted from these mines in Congo. This study is a continuation of a previous report by RAID and CAJJ, called “The Road to Ruin? Electric vehicles and workers’ rights abuses at Congo’s industrial cobalt mines.”
