Excerpt and Photo from dw.com
Nickel mining on Indonesia’s remote Halmahera island is threatening food production for the Indigenous Sawai tribe. The mining pollutes the water, degrades the land and kills off fish stocks.
Nickel is a critical component for lithium-ion batteries used in renewable energy technology and EVs. Global demand has brought fundamental changes to people’s lives here.
The mining site at Weda Bay Industrial Park has damaged coral reefs along the coastline. Many locals have been forced to sell their land due to financial pressure.
And things are likely to get worse. The mining site is set to grow threefold in the coming years, with international companies looking to invest.