The link below is to an article unfortunately only available in Swedish. Still,
it´s interesting and perhaps something of a paradigm shift. The article,
published in Swedish daily Aftonbladet, is signed by Ibrahim Baylan, the
Swedish government minister responsible for issues relating to industry and
trade, and his Finnish colleague Katri Kulmuni. It´s a typical Swedish article,
reeking with “woke” hypocrisy while really supporting the latest evolution
within global capitalism. As of now, copper mining is slowly becoming an
important business in both Sweden and Finland, and I think it´s obvious that
the point of the article is to give this profitable enterprise a “Green” and “progressive”
gloss, while (of course) continuing as before.
Critics
of the Green agenda have often pointed out that wind power, electric cars and
electrification of entire industries now dependent on oil will require enormous
amounts of rare earth metals (REMs) and copper. While copper is abundant, REMs
are mostly found in China and perhaps North Korea. Greenland is a third
possibility – why do you think Trump wants to starts a scramble for that
island? Copper has problems of its own. Copper mines in the Congo are probably
manned by child laborers and guarded by rapacious local militias with a
penchant for genocide. In Sweden and Finland, the new copper mines are situated
in Lapland, often on land traditionally belonging to the Sami (the Native
people of that region). I wouldn´t be too surprised if copper is soon found in
some of the national parks up there. Thus, the Greens want “clean” and “carbon-neutral”
energy based on enormous mining operations on Native territory, or in
problematic places such as China or the DRC.
Or maybe
they don´t, since Green activists in Sweden have protested the projected copper
mines in Lapland. The Swedish government, by contrast, seems ready to embrace
the agenda of the more moderate and “bright” faction of the Green movimiento. In
the article, Baylan and Kulmuni frankly admits that the demand for REMs will
sky rocket in the years ahead. For instance, there will be a 1,000 % (sic) rise
in demand for neodymium in electric engines in the member-states of the
European Union. Neodymium demand for wind power aggregates will rise with a
staggering 2,400 % in the EU. The figures are projections for a 15 year period.
The figures for cobalt are similar. For some reason, copper isn´t discussed.
Too close to home?
The two
government ministers propose that REM producers must have certificates showing
that their metals have been extracted under conditions of “justice” and
sustainability. Yes, really. LOL! Of course, it´s not hard to make out what
this really entails. Many products are already eco-labeled, but only a fool
takes this labeling system seriously. This eco-labeling doesn´t seem to have
slowed down environmental destruction appreciably. There are also “dolphin-safe”
tuna salads and indeed various “justice” labels. In the same way, what are the
chances that *mining corporations in Africa, China and North Korea* will live
up to even basic safety standards at their mines? And what on earth does “sustainable
mining” even *mean*? The labeling system is either a complete farce, or a very
Swedish way of conducting a resource war. Perhaps consumers can be convinced to
buy only electric cars with copper wires from Swedish mines, rather than from the
hell-holes in the Congo? Note also how the labeling system could be used to
squeeze China during trade negotiations.
I
suppose it´s a good thing that Sweden comes clean about what “the fight against
climate change” really means. Perhaps they should also include a certificate
detailing how much oil went into the production and distribution process of
said car…or perhaps not!
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