The Rare Metals War (the Dark Side Of Clean Energy And Digital Technologies)

By (author) Pitron, Guillaume; Translated by Jacobsohn, Bianca
Description:

A celebrated international bestseller that exposes the ticking time-bomb underneath our new technological order.

The resources race is on. Powering our digital lives and green technologies are some of the Earth’s most precious metals — but they are running out. And what will happen when they do? The green-tech revolution will reduce our reliance on nuclear power, coal, and oil, but by breaking free of fossil fuels, we are setting ourselves up for a new dependence — on rare metals like cobalt, gold, and palladium. These are essential to electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels, as well as our smartphones, computers, tablets, and other technologies. But we know very little about how rare metals are mined and traded, or their environmental, economic, and geopolitical costs — until now.

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‘Recognising that the latest technologies might not be as green as we like to think is a good place to start planning for a better world.’

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‘[T]he journalist and filmmaker warns against the optimistic belief that technology is the solution … At a time when many claim to be “citizens of the world” or retreat into naive or hypocritical protectionism, Pitron’s book is an attempt to open people’s eyes to the consequences of their societal choices and lifestyles.’

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‘Both novel and eye opening … The Rare Metals War is worth the read.’

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‘French Writer and analyst Guillaume Pitron warns about growing reliance on rare-earth metal — which are necessary to build high-tech products … He shines a light on “the untold story” of the energy and digital transitions.’

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‘An expert account of a poorly understood but critical element in our economy.’

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‘[E]xposes the dirty underpinnings of clean technologies in a debut that raises valid questions about energy extraction.’

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‘The Rare Metals War is Guillaume Pitron’s urgent exposé of the race for resources and an examination of its environmental and human impacts.’

Biographical note:
Guillaume Pitron, born in 1980, is a French award-winning journalist and documentary-maker for France’s leading television channels. His work focuses on commodities and on the economic, political, and environmental issues associated with their use. The Rare Metals War, his first book, sold 80,000 copies in France and has been translated into ten languages. Guillaume Pitron holds a master’s degree in international law from the University of Georgetown (Washington, DC), and is a TEDx speaker. More information at www.en-guillaumepitron.com. Bianca Jacobsohn is a South African and French translator and conference interpreter who specialises in energy, finance, strategic metals, and diplomacy. More information at www.biancajacobsohn.com.