About this episode

The episode explores the brutal supply chain of rare earth minerals used in batteries, featuring insights from Nicholas Niarchos.

The 21st century runs on batteries: from phones and laptops to electric vehicles, drones and clean energy. Embedded in these batteries are rare earth minerals, drawn from a brutal supply chain that begins in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The race to electrify the global energy system is underway, but most people know almost nothing about how the necessary batteries are made – even those of us with green politics. Aaron Bastani finds out more with Nicholas Niarchos, author of The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth. Help us build people-powered media: https://novara.media/support

People in this episode

Host: Aaron Bastani

Guest: Nicholas Niarchos

Topics covered

• smartphones
• supply chain
• batteries
• rare earth minerals
• green politics
• electric vehicles

Keywords

• smartphones
• batteries
• supply chain
• rare earth minerals
• electric vehicles
• green politics

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth

Places: Democratic Republic of Congo

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