The World Faces Wars for Rare-Earth Resources and Water

I previously wrote about how humanity's transition to 'green energy' is already leading to even more destruction of Earth's biosphere. The conflict between humanity and nature continues to escalate, and the ongoing crisis is not being solved at all!

It's important to understand that it's not 'green energy' itself that is dangerous. On the contrary, it's very good and right to seek ways to transition to renewable energy sources in the world! This is the completely right path. The problem is that without changing the global governance system, it will be IMPOSSIBLE to truly care for the world around us.

I will begin my material with some fresh news.

On October 19, 2024, Italy's Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto announced at a G7 ministers' meeting press conference that in the coming years, there will be wars over deposits of rare-earth metals and clean water in the world.

And he is absolutely right. In fact, all the countries of the world understand these things now, and they are already assessing their capabilities to extract rare-earth metals, which are necessary for the world's transition to 'green energy.'

Solar panels, wind turbines, batteries for electric vehicles—all this requires a huge amount of resources. We are already seeing a rapidly growing demand for nickel, copper, cobalt, and lithium. Experts expect the prices of rare-earth resources to rise several times over in the coming years.

This is precisely where the greatest danger to Earth's biosphere lies.

The fact is that such resources remain in industrial volumes only in protected natural territories. These are reserves that are refuges for wildlife, the last sanctuary for species diversity of flora and fauna.

And so, as the scramble for these resources begins, in anticipation of growing demand, countries are preemptively setting up economic plans to 'develop' reserve lands. This is observed worldwide: there is a reduction in the protective status of reserves everywhere, attacks on wildlife refuges.

A simple example, which I have mentioned repeatedly: for many years in the Voronezh region, local residents have been holding back predatory plans of the authorities and businesses for nickel mining. This nickel is located within the boundaries of the Khoper Reserve, where there are a large number of Red Book animals and plants. The nickel itself is needed for the production of lithium-ion batteries, which power electric vehicles and energy storage systems. As the world moves to electric vehicles, there is a growing demand for industrial nickel volumes, but it can only be mined by destroying the last refuges of wildlife.

Local residents have been holding back the business as they can, the struggle has been going on for many years! Plans are postponed, but no one backs down from destroying the reserve: the nickel will still be extracted. It's a matter of time. Everyone understands how important it is to take lead positions in the global economy! If we cannot ourselves produce electric vehicles and their components, we will simply destroy our own reserves, extract valuable resources from the bowels of the earth, and sell to the same China, which will further produce batteries.

Despite the pretty wrapper of 'green energy,' the truth is that no one cares about real concern for the environment. The monster of capitalism is just changing fields of activity: new opportunities to earn billions arise, and old fields become irrelevant. Thus, there is a 'large redistribution' in the world: who can squeeze the most out of the new economic model, who will lead and control the cash flows!

If you take a close look at everything happening in Russia, for example, you will see that a whole cluster of legislative bills is currently aimed at reducing the protective status of reserves. They change the status to 'national parks,' legalize 'development' of reserves, push through solid deforestation around Baikal, and now they are trying to adopt a bill on solid deforestation in all mountain wildlife refuges!

And all this is justified with 'carrot,' saying we are doing all this for the people! What do we hear from you?

'We will build you a tourist cluster, and you will have rest there yourselves!'

'You have the right: you will rest comfortably on the shores of Baikal.'

'People have the right! We cut down the forest to give tourists the opportunity to enjoy nature.'

But in order to build a tourist cluster, a solid deforestation must first be carried out, and huge concrete roads must be laid, blocking the migration routes for animals. Not allowing, for instance, bears to come to the shores of Baikal, catch fish, get themselves food. Along with the roads, water pipelines, power supply, accompanying infrastructure must be laid!

After that, in a few more years, they will reduce the protection status for building along the roads. Villages, new buildings will appear. Further to those who will live in these new settlements, they need to be given work! Therefore, factories must be built, resource extraction allowed. Right? City-forming enterprises! Ordinary people tied to this economic model will extract rare-earth resources with their own hands, firmly believing in the advertisement 'Green energy - buy an electric car, save nature.'

Thus will begin the global devastation of wildlife refuges! The last refuges that have survived at all. This economic model will allow real huge money to be gained at once, will stimulate economic development, and even give leadership on the world stage.

And in 15-20 years, all those who passed these laws will die. They are already of age now! We all know this. The real reckoning for the final destruction of Earth's biosphere will fall on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren, on whom the consequences will fall.

And no one will be able to stop all this anymore because not just wildlife is being destroyed! Our own habitat is being destroyed, on which we all depend. Moreover, now, governments around the world are specifically hitting wildlife refuges - these are refuges from which future ecosystem restoration is possible! If such places are destroyed, it means that nature will have nowhere to restore itself.

All states and transnational corporations fully understand that the transition to 'green energy' within the framework of the existing management system is simply new markets for making money. And the word 'green' is used here as a manipulation of public discourse and as a justification for the need 'throw away the old - buy the new.'

And the top officials already openly say that in the coming years wars will begin over rare-earth resources and water. The conflict of humanity with the biosphere does not cease, on the contrary, there is even more destruction of wildlife - our own habitat.

People will fight for water.

Countries and TNCs will start wars for rare-earth resources.

© PAVEL PASHKOV