How a race for electric vehicles threatens a marine paradise

Simple images captured by a drone by environmental campaigns and shared with the BBC show how nickel mining produces forests and dirty waters in one of the most biological diversity in the world.

Raja ampat archipelago, a group of small islands in Papua, southwest of Indonesia, was called “Amazon of the seas”.

However, according to the organization, nickel mining, which is a component in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel, has increased there in recent years. Global witness.

This week, the Indonesian government has canceled permissions for four of the five mining companies operating in the region this week.

Inside An online expressionThe Ministry of Indonesian Environment said: “The biological diversity of Raja Ampat is a world heritage that needs to be preserved.

“We attach great importance to the mining activities in the region.”

But photos – taken by Global witness as part of an investigation – It seems to be already damaged by environmental damage.

Air images show the flow of sediment to the waters that host forest loss and biologically coral reefs.

Global Witness, BBC, on many small islands in the archipelago, between 2020 and 2024, about 700 football fields equivalent to 500 hectares, he said.

Some protectionists, Including Greenpeace OrganizationThey are concerned that the government’s decision can be reversed by mining companies with legal proceedings.

And a company operating in Gag Island, which has rich nickel deposits, was allowed to continue its operations. The government said that “the restoration of the ecological effects occurred there”.

Mercan Reef Protection Specialist and ecologist Dr. Mark Erdmann said BBC News about the government’s decision to cancel mining permits “and was very happy”.

“This is the global central base of maritime biological diversity,” BBC said.

Dr Erdmann has worked at Raja Ambat for more than twenty years, and there is one of the founders of a shark re -wrapping project. Animation. “Indonesian people, who attracted the attention of the government, was anger.”

However, this ecological discussion is an example of how demand for metals required to provide power to battery technology for electric cars and other low carbon energy sources.

Indonesia is now more than half of the world’s nickel mine production. A report last year Energy Economy and Financial Analysis Institute.

And the beauty and biological diversity of Raja Ampat draw attention to the mining activity there, while mining was associated with ecological damage elsewhere.

A study conducted by Forest Watch Indonesia in 2024 He found a connection between local floods and landslides with the loss of forest associated with mining activity.

The increase in demand for critical minerals shares worldwide economic decisions. The last executive order of President Trump was the driving force to start the mining of metallic nodules from the deep sea in international waters. Like that A movement that China calls illegal.

Dr Erdmann said that the balance of economic growth with environmental protection is a special dilemma for Indonesia. “There are too many nickels – some of them, some will come out of the ground,” he said.

Dr. Kent University. Michaela Guo Ying Lo A study in 2024 The effect of mining on local communities in Sulawesi, the Great Indonesian Island, which has most of the country’s nickel deposits.

This concluded that mining activity slightly reduces poverty, but is a significant “worsening of environmental welfare”, including increasing local water and air pollution.

“Indonesia is globally positioning itself in the nickel market,” BBC said. He said. “But it is important not to forget what is located locally.”

IMam Shofwan, an environmental campaignman from an organization called Jakarta -based Jatam, said to BBC News: “Nickel says there is a solution to the climate crisis. But it destroys the foresinism and the fields of agriculture.”

He also pointed out that BBC is some of the most vulnerable places for the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels, with some nickel deposits.

Dr Erdmann said: “Nickel dilemma is a terrible dilemma.

“Mining will always be environmentally effective and we all think that electrification is a good idea. But what is the acceptable damage we want to see?”

BBC contacted the Indonesian government to comment, but did not receive a response.