How the rise of green tech is feeding another environmental crisis

In the Atacama Desert of Chile, a major environmental challenge is unfolding as the world’s demand for green technology grows. Raquel Celina Rodriguez, whose family has lived in the Atacama salt flats for generations, remembers when the land was lush and full of animals. Now, the ground is dry and cracked, and the grass that once fed their sheep is gone. Raquel blames not only the changing climate and lack of rain, but also the lithium mining companies that have moved into the area.

Lithium is a soft, silvery metal that is essential for making batteries used in electric cars, laptops, and solar panels. As more countries try to use clean energy to fight climate change, the need for lithium has exploded. In 2021, the world used about 95,000 tonnes of lithium, but by 2024, that number had more than doubled. Experts predict that by 2040, the demand will reach over 900,000 tonnes, mostly for electric car batteries. Chile is the world’s second-largest producer of lithium, after Australia. The government has launched a plan to increase lithium production even more, hoping to boost the economy and help the world move away from fossil fuels.

However, the way lithium is mined in Chile is causing serious problems for the local environment and people. Mining companies pump salty water, called brine, from deep under the salt flats and let it evaporate in large pools to collect the lithium. This process uses huge amounts of water in a region that already suffers from drought. Biologist Faviola Gonzalez, who works in the Los Flamencos National Reserve, has seen the lagoons shrink and the number of flamingos drop. The birds depend on the water and the tiny organisms that live in it, but both are disappearing. Studies have also shown that native trees are dying because of the mining.

Mining companies say they are trying to fix the problems. SQM, one of the biggest lithium companies in Chile, says it is working with local communities and testing new technologies that use less water. They hope to cut water use by half and even return some water to the land. But many people in the Atacama are skeptical. They worry that their home is being used as an experiment and that the damage may be permanent. Some, like Sara Plaza, say they would rather have water and a healthy environment than money from the mining companies. The local community has had to change its water and electricity systems because of shortages, and leaders like Sergio Cubillos say decisions are being made far away in the capital, without enough input from the people who live there.

This situation in Chile is part of a bigger global problem. While green technology like electric cars is supposed to help the planet, the way we get the materials for these technologies can create new environmental issues. Some people argue that the jobs and money from mining are worth the damage, but many local people disagree. They want to protect their land, water, and way of life. As the world races to fight climate change, the story of the Atacama shows that we need to think carefully about how we balance progress with protecting the environment and the people who depend on it.