Lithium dreams, local struggles: Navigating the geopolitics and socio-ecological costs of a low-carbon future

Abstract

The global push towards renewable energy has surged the demand for lithium, which is vital for manufacturing batteries that power electric vehicles and stabilize energy grids. This literature review examines global lithium extraction's environmental and socio-political costs to highlight the tensions between sustainable development and extractive practices in the lithium industry. A comprehensive subset of scholarship reports the degradation of ecosystems, the commodification of Indigenous lands, and the erosion of biodiversity. Scholars have attributed lithium's socio-ecological cost to green extractivism, where the green agenda promotes extractive practices reminiscent of the fossil fuel era. A second strain of literature delves into how lithium is discursively framed and legitimized through ‘sociotechnical imaginaries’ (STI). Those imaginaries embody how societies collectively envision lithium's role in shaping future socio-political and economic structures, particularly regarding national identity, sovereignty, and sustainable progress. Additionally, these imaginaries highlight the tensions between local communities, national governments, and global stakeholders over extraction's socio-environmental costs. Finally, studies also discuss the geopolitical dimensions of lithium supply chains, particularly the tensions between China and Western economies over control of critical minerals—the fight for geopolitical dominance perpetuates colonial dynamics by both stakeholders. The findings underscore the need for more sustainable extraction policies and equitable governance mechanisms that account for the socio-environmental challenges posed by lithium mining in the context of global climate goals.