Aluminum : the car industry's blind spot : why car companies should address the human rights impact of aluminum production / Jim Wormington, Natalie Bugalski, Coleen Scott.
Issued in cooperation with Inclusive Development International. "July 2021"--Table of contents page. Includes bibliographical references.
Contents:
Summary -- Aluminum sourcing is a blind spot for the car industry -- What the car industry should do next -- Methodology -- Human rights impact of aluminum production -- Aluminum sourcing and the car industry -- Aluminum and the car industry -- The human rights impact of aluminum production -- Loss of land to mining -- Reduced access to water -- Impacts from alumina refining -- Aluminum and climate change -- Case study: bauxite mining in Guinea -- Guinea's bauxite -- Guinea's role in global supply chains -- The human rights impact of bauxite mining in Guinea -- Land lost to mining -- Impacts on local environment and the right to clean water -- Inadequate government oversight -- An urgent need for improvement -- A role for car industry engagement? -- Car companies' responsible sourcing practices -- Human rights due diligence and the car industry -- Prioritizing minerals critical for electric vehicles -- Aluminum is currently a blind spot -- Certification in the aluminum sector -- What car companies should do next -- Positive signs -- Next steps.
Summary:
Aluminum, a lightweight metal, is a key material for car companies' transition toward electric cars and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Car manufacturers used nearly a fifth of all aluminum consumed worldwide in 2019 and they are forecast to double their aluminum consumption by 2050. Aluminum is produced from bauxite, a red ore. Despite aluminum's potential benefits, bauxite mining and aluminum production can have devastating human rights and environmental consequences, from the destruction of farmland and damage to water sources caused by mines and refineries to the significant carbon emissions from aluminum smelting. This report sheds light on the human rights consequences of the aluminum industry, using examples from around the world and an in-depth case study of bauxite mining in Guinea. It assesses how the global automobile industry is tackling the impacts of aluminum production, based on meetings and correspondence with nine major car manufacturers - BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Groupe PSA, Renault, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. The report finds that most car companies have not done enough to map out the mines, refineries, and smelters that they source from and evaluate and address the negative human rights impacts of aluminum production. Given the importance of aluminum to the car industry's future, car companies should push mining companies, refineries, and smelters to respect stronger human rights and environmental standards and should stop sourcing from aluminum producers that refuse to do so.
OCLC:
(OCoLC)1290896968
Locations:
OVUX522 -- University of Iowa Libraries (Iowa City)
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.