By Davor Džalto
August 2, 2024
Source: Originally published by Z. Feel free to share widely.
Credit: Chris Yakimov / Flickr
The Balkans have faced numerous crises over the past decades. The most recent one, with potentially long-term devastating effects, is unfolding in Serbia. According to media reports, the current crisis involves the intention to exploit lithium reserves in western Serbia. Why is this a problem?
The problem lies in the potentially devastating ecological effects of such exploitation. As a group of authors claimed in their article published in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-68072-9): “it would be one of the world’s very first lithium mines in a populated and agricultural area.” Research drilling “has already produced environmental damage, with mine water containing high levels of boron leaking from exploratory wells and causing crops to dry out.” Moreover, “our investigations reveal substantially elevated downstream concentrations of boron, arsenic, and lithium in nearby rivers as compared to upstream regions.” The authors show that “soil samples exhibit repeated breaches of remediation limit values with environmental consequences on both surface and underground waters.” “With the opening of the mine,” the authors conclude, “problems will be multiplied by the tailings pond, mine wastewater, noise, air pollution, and light pollution, endangering the lives of numerous local communities and destroying their freshwater sources, agricultural land, livestock, and assets.”
Since the exploitation of lithium from ore rocks “has severe environmental consequences,” mining of this mineral “is usually conducted in deserts and uninhabited areas of Australia, Chile, China, Argentina, Canada, Zimbabwe, and the United States” (ibid.). Now, why would anyone allow a potential disaster of such a scale on fertile, populated land rich with grass fields, forests, animal life, and drinking water?
The need for lithium is growing as it is a vital substance for the batteries essential for “green technology,” which is perceived as indispensable in combating climate change. If the negative effects of exploitation are contained within uninhabited areas, without a significant presence of living organisms, one could perhaps make a meaningful argument in favor of such exploitation. However, if the scientific conclusions are right, the risk in inhabited areas seems too high, and the anticipated negative effects on people and the natural environment do not seem to be a reasonable cost for the hoped-for positive effects on the natural environment produced by lithium-based batteries. In the capitalist system, however, profits ultimately come ahead of concern for the environment, societies or individual human beings. For capitalist logic, it makes perfect sense to destroy the natural environment, if necessary, in order to fight climate change caused by the destruction of the natural environment.
The Brussels leadership is extremely enthusiastic. “The EU has hailed a pact with Serbia on lithium mining as a ‘historic day for Serbia, as well as for Europe,’” reports the BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw4yg09rl8lo). It is anticipated that the Serbian deposits will cover “90% of Europe’s current lithium needs” (ibid.). The Serbian President, known for his autocratic style of government, is also passionately “selling” to Serbian people the story about the necessity of this exploitation, and the blessings that will befall Serbian citizens once this becomes a reality.
Many activists and regular citizens are concerned and angry. They do not trust the promises coming both from the company and from the government that the project will be “subject to stringent environmental requirements” (https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/rio-tinto-welcomes-serbias-reinstatement-jadar-lithium-project-licence-2024-07-16/). They would hate to see the fruitful fields and forests of their fathers, grandfathers and neighbors turned into a desert. Well, welcome to the desert of the capitalist real (to paraphrase Slavoj Žižek).
Yes, capitalism destroys nature and societies. It has been doing so since its inception as a particular system and ideology. To survive, it needs to expand. Everything can be sacrificed if there’s another million or billion to be made. Nature, human beings, and the entire planet are only “resources” to be exploited for profit-making purposes. That is why capitalism is not only inherently anti-democratic, it is also anti-ecological.
A sad part in this saga is played by intellectuals and the media who have religiously promoted neo-liberal agendas in the region, advocating, for decades, deregulation and corporatization of the Serbian economy and society. Many of them now react against this project. They are skeptical that the exploitation will be conducted according to the “highest ecological standards.” They are also surprised to learn that big corporations can be ruthless and that the leadership of the “democratic world” (in this case, the EU) can make close alliances with autocrats, promoting socially, economically, and ecologically destructive policies. Well, too little, too late.
One cannot advocate for capitalism and, at the same time, for the values of social bonds, undisturbed nature, and democracy, without ending up in a contradiction. Yes, capitalism kills. The more unrestrained it becomes, the greater the damage it will produce. In a hyper-capitalist world in which we live, capitalism is given a free hand to destroy whatever stands in its way. Its agents – big corporations and governments – ensure that all “troublemakers” are neutralized, nice and clean, so that the production of waste by capitalist exploitation is secured, without hindrance.
Capitalism is not eco-friendly. If we want to do something about the natural environment, prevent its further destruction, and reverse some of the negative tendencies, we need to dismantle it, as a system and ideology. Without that, we will only be making cosmetic changes until there is no longer a face to put makeup on.
Credit: Chris Yakimov / Flickr
The Balkans have faced numerous crises over the past decades. The most recent one, with potentially long-term devastating effects, is unfolding in Serbia. According to media reports, the current crisis involves the intention to exploit lithium reserves in western Serbia. Why is this a problem?
The problem lies in the potentially devastating ecological effects of such exploitation. As a group of authors claimed in their article published in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-68072-9): “it would be one of the world’s very first lithium mines in a populated and agricultural area.” Research drilling “has already produced environmental damage, with mine water containing high levels of boron leaking from exploratory wells and causing crops to dry out.” Moreover, “our investigations reveal substantially elevated downstream concentrations of boron, arsenic, and lithium in nearby rivers as compared to upstream regions.” The authors show that “soil samples exhibit repeated breaches of remediation limit values with environmental consequences on both surface and underground waters.” “With the opening of the mine,” the authors conclude, “problems will be multiplied by the tailings pond, mine wastewater, noise, air pollution, and light pollution, endangering the lives of numerous local communities and destroying their freshwater sources, agricultural land, livestock, and assets.”
Since the exploitation of lithium from ore rocks “has severe environmental consequences,” mining of this mineral “is usually conducted in deserts and uninhabited areas of Australia, Chile, China, Argentina, Canada, Zimbabwe, and the United States” (ibid.). Now, why would anyone allow a potential disaster of such a scale on fertile, populated land rich with grass fields, forests, animal life, and drinking water?
The need for lithium is growing as it is a vital substance for the batteries essential for “green technology,” which is perceived as indispensable in combating climate change. If the negative effects of exploitation are contained within uninhabited areas, without a significant presence of living organisms, one could perhaps make a meaningful argument in favor of such exploitation. However, if the scientific conclusions are right, the risk in inhabited areas seems too high, and the anticipated negative effects on people and the natural environment do not seem to be a reasonable cost for the hoped-for positive effects on the natural environment produced by lithium-based batteries. In the capitalist system, however, profits ultimately come ahead of concern for the environment, societies or individual human beings. For capitalist logic, it makes perfect sense to destroy the natural environment, if necessary, in order to fight climate change caused by the destruction of the natural environment.
The Brussels leadership is extremely enthusiastic. “The EU has hailed a pact with Serbia on lithium mining as a ‘historic day for Serbia, as well as for Europe,’” reports the BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw4yg09rl8lo). It is anticipated that the Serbian deposits will cover “90% of Europe’s current lithium needs” (ibid.). The Serbian President, known for his autocratic style of government, is also passionately “selling” to Serbian people the story about the necessity of this exploitation, and the blessings that will befall Serbian citizens once this becomes a reality.
Many activists and regular citizens are concerned and angry. They do not trust the promises coming both from the company and from the government that the project will be “subject to stringent environmental requirements” (https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/rio-tinto-welcomes-serbias-reinstatement-jadar-lithium-project-licence-2024-07-16/). They would hate to see the fruitful fields and forests of their fathers, grandfathers and neighbors turned into a desert. Well, welcome to the desert of the capitalist real (to paraphrase Slavoj Žižek).
Yes, capitalism destroys nature and societies. It has been doing so since its inception as a particular system and ideology. To survive, it needs to expand. Everything can be sacrificed if there’s another million or billion to be made. Nature, human beings, and the entire planet are only “resources” to be exploited for profit-making purposes. That is why capitalism is not only inherently anti-democratic, it is also anti-ecological.
A sad part in this saga is played by intellectuals and the media who have religiously promoted neo-liberal agendas in the region, advocating, for decades, deregulation and corporatization of the Serbian economy and society. Many of them now react against this project. They are skeptical that the exploitation will be conducted according to the “highest ecological standards.” They are also surprised to learn that big corporations can be ruthless and that the leadership of the “democratic world” (in this case, the EU) can make close alliances with autocrats, promoting socially, economically, and ecologically destructive policies. Well, too little, too late.
One cannot advocate for capitalism and, at the same time, for the values of social bonds, undisturbed nature, and democracy, without ending up in a contradiction. Yes, capitalism kills. The more unrestrained it becomes, the greater the damage it will produce. In a hyper-capitalist world in which we live, capitalism is given a free hand to destroy whatever stands in its way. Its agents – big corporations and governments – ensure that all “troublemakers” are neutralized, nice and clean, so that the production of waste by capitalist exploitation is secured, without hindrance.
Capitalism is not eco-friendly. If we want to do something about the natural environment, prevent its further destruction, and reverse some of the negative tendencies, we need to dismantle it, as a system and ideology. Without that, we will only be making cosmetic changes until there is no longer a face to put makeup on.
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