Energy Cafe: Compound Exposure in the Pacific
Compound Exposure in the Pacific: How our solutions to climate change could make things worse
Dr Emilka Skrzypek (CEE), Assoc Prof Nick Bainton (ANU), Dr Eléonore Lèbre (UQ)
Online and in-person
The prevailing solution to our planetary problem is a rapid transition to renewable energy-systems. Building these new energy-systems will, however, require vast amounts of minerals and metals. This much is well known, and governments and the extractive industries are now desperately trying to source these materials and capitalise on the latest resources boom, fuelling a rush for critical minerals and opening new resource frontiers, including the deep oceans.
Much less is known about the contradictions and risks that will accompany this particular solution to climate change. Many of the minerals and metals needed for renewables are located in places that are already acutely exposed to climate change. The Pacific Islands region is one such place. We expect that extractive pressures and perils will converge with the impacts of climate change well before the transition to renewables kicks in and reduces climate threats in places like the Pacific. We call this contradictory process compound exposure. In this presentation we will discuss the features of compound exposure in the Pacific, hoping to open up a discussion on policy pathways to avoid its worst effects in the Pacific, and beyond.