As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, renewable energies are seen as the primary solution to the climate crisis. However, the mining of “critical” minerals required for this transition can be extremely harmful to people and the environment, and the impacts disproportionately burden Indigenous Peoples. An analysis found more than 75% of lithium, copper, and nickel reserves and resources in the U.S. are located within 35 miles of Native American reservations.
The term just transition refers to an equitable shift away from an extractive economy toward a resilient, regenerative economy. Without tribal consultation or meaningful environmental and health impact statements, mining for transition minerals perpetuates “green colonialism,” a form of exploitation framed as progress.
In the U.S., mining is the largest source of toxic releases, and toxic releases from mining in Alaska are higher than anywhere else in the country. Graphite One is a proposed graphite mine project along the Kigluaik Mountains, 30 miles north of Nome, Alaska. Graphite is an important material for the green transition, as it is an essential ingredient in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and electricity storage.
Mining projects such as Graphite One pose serious threats, including toxic releases to the environment that can contaminate water and subsistence food sources. Current policies driving the green transition fail to protect tribes and other vulnerable communities from mining-related harms.
In this webinar, Adelaine Ahmasuk and Annika Krafcik will explore just transition principles and reasons for Indigenous and community-led opposition to the proposed Graphite One mine.
More detail on the speakers will be added to this web page soon.
Featured Speakers
This webinar is hosted by the CHE-Alaska Partnership, which is coordinated by Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT). Driven by a core belief in environmental justice, ACAT empowers communities to eliminate exposure to toxics through collaborative research, shared science, education, organizing, and advocacy.