The Environmental Reporting Collective

07/04/2025

Former Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo once dreamed of breaking free from the nation’s “resource curse.” By tapping into Indonesia’s abundant nickel reserves, he envisioned a brighter future with thriving industries, new jobs, and a key role in the clean energy transition.

Yet, for workers in Morowali, the reality is far from the dream.

Earning as little as $125 a month, many workers are caught in an endless struggle to survive. With rents rising and daily essentials becoming luxuries, debt has become their only lifeline—borrowed at punishing interest rates that push them deeper into despair.

Environmental destruction compounds the issue. Polluted water has wiped out fishing livelihoods, while toxic air poses serious health risks. The wealth from this industry, meant to uplift Indonesians, flows instead to foreign corporations and a select few elites, leaving the nation with little to show for its sacrifices.

Now, as Western automakers shift to alternatives like iron-based batteries, Indonesia risks being left behind while locals bear the environmental and social costs. Can the nation recalibrate its strategy to ensure equitable development and a sustainable future?
Dive into ERC’s collaborative investigation: https://greedofgreen.earth/p/supply-chain/

30/12/2024

Through the power of collaborative journalism in 2024, our global network uncovered stories that reshaped narratives and challenged the status quo. Together, we investigated across borders, connected hidden dots, and revealed truths that no single newsroom could have exposed.

19/12/2024

Watch https://youtu.be/vHmfD514gXI

ERC Global Collaboration Documentary on a comprehensive investigation into the human and environmental costs of extracting 3 critical energy transition minerals: cobalt, nickel, and lithium.
GREED OF GREEN: The True Cost of Net Zero

ERC Global Collaboration Documentary on a comprehensive investigation into the human and environmental costs of extracting 3 critical energy transition miner...

17/12/2024

Tecpetrol’s recent project in Rinconadillas has stirred debate, splitting the tight-knit community as some residents see jobs and services, while others worry about water depletion and ecological harm.

Read more: https://es.mongabay.com/2024/11/tecpetrol-gigante-petrolero-enciende-conflicto-en-comunidades-de-jujuy-para-incursionar-en-el-negocio-del-litio/

10/12/2024

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, women working near cobalt mines crucial to renewable energy face serious health risks, including high miscarriage rates, congenital issues, and other complications. With little protection in place, these women are paying a heavy price to help meet global climate goals.

https://fr.mongabay.com/2024/11/en-rdc-lexploitation-miniere-menace-la-sante-reproductive-des-femmes/

03/12/2024

Indonesia, as the country ramps up mining to meet green tech demands, what actually happens behind the scenes?

www.greedofgreen.earth/p/asia/

27/11/2024

ERC’s Greed of Green project spans Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America, exposing how mining exploits communities, pollutes water, and threatens wildlife. Are we truly ready to pay this "clean" energy price?

Read ERC’s global collaboration here: https://greedofgreen.earth/p/overview/

25/11/2024

As global demand for lithium grows, Indigenous communities in Argentina’s Puna region are under pressure to decide whether mining is worth the potential consequences.

An energy gian's venture into Rinconadillas has stirred debate, splitting the tight-knit community as some residents see jobs and services, while others worry about water depletion and ecological harm.

The region’s salt flats, unique and vital ecosystems, once sustaining local wildlife and indigenous traditions, now face potential disruptions.

The local struggle highlights a larger question: can clean energy production prioritize both community welfare and environmental protection?

Read ERC's Global Collaboration here: https://es.mongabay.com/2024/11/tecpetrol-gigante-petrolero-enciende-conflicto-en-comunidades-de-jujuy-para-incursionar-en-el-negocio-del-litio/

25/11/2024

As global demand for lithium grows, Indigenous communities in Argentina’s Puna region are under pressure to decide whether mining is worth the potential consequences.

An energy gian's venture into Rinconadillas has stirred debate, splitting the tight-knit community as some residents see jobs and services, while others worry about water depletion and ecological harm.

The region’s salt flats, unique and vital ecosystems, once sustaining local wildlife and indigenous traditions, now face potential disruptions.  

The local struggle highlights a larger question: can clean energy production prioritize both community welfare and environmental protection?

Read ERC's Global Collaboration here: https://es.mongabay.com/2024/11/tecpetrol-gigante-petrolero-enciende-conflicto-en-comunidades-de-jujuy-para-incursionar-en-el-negocio-del-litio/

20/11/2024

Renewable energy is touted as a crucial solution to climate change, yet new investigations reveal a troubling paradox: the green energy boom often comes at a steep cost to local
communities and ecosystems.
ERC’s latest global project spans Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America, exposing the devastating toll of mining for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel.

From Argentina’s high-altitude wetlands to Indonesia’s industrial nickel hubs, the investigation dives into how these essential minerals for “clean” tech are extracted—often by exploiting vulnerable communities, polluting water sources, and threatening endangered wildlife.

As the push for renewables intensifies, who is paying the price? Dive into ERC’s collaborative
investigation and explore the complex reality behind green tech: https://greedofgreen.earth/p/overview/

19/11/2024

“I saw many people jumping, many were raising their hands asking for help. But we, their colleagues, couldn’t do anything because we didn’t have the tools to save them.”

Atu, a worker at PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP), witnessed the tragic explosion on December 24, 2023, that left 21 dead and many others injured. Indonesia, home to the world’s largest nickel reserves, is at the centre of a mining boom driven by global demand for transition minerals. Yet, as global demand drives production, the risks are borne by thousands of workers like Atu. They face unsafe conditions, minimal safety protections, and long, gruelling hours as they support a booming industry.
This tragedy sheds light on the harsh price paid for sustainable technology, one too often hidden from view.

Read the full story: greedofgreen.earth/p/asia/