EV Demand Fuels Environmental and Human Crisis in DRC

A young girl washes her hands in a puddle near a UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC.

Electric vehicles are contributing to an ongoing environmental and humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where mining operations lead to deforestation, pollution, food insecurity, and exploitative labour practices.

Advertisers promote electric vehicles as an environmentally friendly solution to help save the planet. In the West, states like California and New York incentivise citizens to switch to electric vehicles to reduce pollution.

California aims for 100 percent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. In New York, the Drive Clean Rebate offers up to $2,000 off the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle.

Governments encourage electric vehicle adoption to reduce fossil fuel damage. In the US, emissions have dropped by around 66 percent, while in China—dominating the electric vehicle market—emissions have reportedly fallen by 37 to 45 percent.

However, consumers must realise that electric vehicles mainly benefit the environment in wealthier regions. Rising demand for electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries is causing destruction and exploitation in poorer countries like the DRC.

Cobalt, a key mineral for lithium-ion batteries, is at the centre of this crisis. The DRC produces 75 percent of the world’s mined cobalt. To meet global demand, both industrial and artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) operations are expanding rapidly.

“The surge in demand for lithium-ion batteries has dramatically increased global demand for cobalt, and DRC cobalt production is projected to double by 2030,” said the International Labour Organization (ILO). “Because industrial mines can’t keep pace, this has encouraged the expansion of artisanal and unregulated mining.”

Artisanal mines are poorly regulated, informal operations that often rely on child labour, basic tools, and unsafe working conditions.

“ASM can also lead to conflict as clashes occur between large-scale mining operations and ASM over access to minerals,” explained Dr Lamfu Yengong of Greenpeace Africa. Estimates suggest between 200,000 and 250,000 ASM miners in the DRC produce up to 25 percent of the country’s cobalt.

Mining also severely damages the DRC’s environment. Mining sites require large land areas, resulting in deforestation and habitat loss. Open-pit mining releases dust and toxic chemicals into the air and nearby waterways. Cobalt mines often contain sulfur minerals, creating acid mine drainage when exposed to air and water. Sulfuric acid contaminates water supplies, harms aquatic life, and poses health risks to local communities.

Deforestation, soil and water contamination, increased noise levels, dust, and smoke emissions disrupt the lives of Congolese people and wildlife. Many are displaced or killed as their once-thriving lands are devastated.

“Mining in the DRC is tearing through the Congo Basin, one of the world’s most important carbon sinks, leaving behind poisoned rivers, deforested landscapes, and devastated ecosystems,” Yengong said. “What once were lush forests are now scarred by unregulated extraction.”

Despite having over 197 million acres of arable land, the DRC ranks among the world’s most food-insecure nations. Over 25 million people face hunger, as mining activities pollute soil and water, hampering agriculture. Changing rainfall patterns and prolonged droughts further worsen the crisis.

While mining fuels destruction, many Congolese rely on mining for survival. Stopping operations altogether would risk livelihoods. Organisations such as the ILO, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and World Food Programme (WFP) are working to mitigate the damage.

The ILO is supporting the rollout of a universal health insurance scheme to cover miners and their families, providing essential healthcare services. UNEP is helping the DRC develop a national mining plan to minimise environmental damage and manage conflicts over resource extraction. WFP focuses on building community resilience through skills training, post-harvest management, reforestation, and sustainable agriculture initiatives.

Experts stress that the crisis in the DRC should not spell the end for electric vehicles and lithium batteries. Scientists are developing alternative technologies, including sodium-ion, silicon-carbon, and lithium-sulfur batteries, to reduce dependence on cobalt.

A UNCTAD report advocates sustainable mining practices to reduce environmental harm. However, real change depends on stronger governance in the DRC. The 2018 mining code mandates corporate social responsibility investments in community development, but enforcement remains weak due to ongoing instability.

“The world’s clean energy transition must not come at the cost of Congolese lives and forests,” Yengong said. “Real climate solutions must prioritise Indigenous and local communities’ rights, end greenwashing, and ensure justice—not just extraction.”