Mines

The idea that fossil fuels were causing climate change became popular about 40 years ago. Since that time governments have provided subsidies to help the growth of wind and solar. The result is that CO2 emissions have continued to increase. The first explanation for this, seeming contradiction, is that the need for energy has grown faster than the growth of wind and solar. While that is certainly a part of the reason another more important part, but one not easily recognized, is the environmental cost to mine the raw materials needed for wind and solar. These cost are rarely if ever included in the conversations about climate change. For those, who take the time to investigate the total cost of solar panels, windmills and EV's, what is called the life cycle assessment, the results vary by where the mines are. Today where the mines are located results show a decrease in CO2, but if you move the mines away from places that have few regulations and use slave labor the CO2 increases. To keep the CO2 levels from increasing it is necessary for example to destroy the water in China and have children mining cobalt in Africa. It will be very difficult to get the American people to agree to opening mines in the US.