BECAS
CASAGRANDA Maria Elvira
artículos
Título:
Side effects of green technologies: the potential environmental costs of Lithium mining on high elevation Andean wetlands in the context of climate change
Autor/es:
IZQUIERDO, ANDREA; GRAU, HECTOR RICARDO; CARILLA, JULIETA; CASAGRANDA, ELVIRA
Revista:
GLP News
Editorial:
IGBP & Future Earth
Referencias:
Año: 2015 vol. 12
ISSN:
2316-3747
Resumen:
Lithium-based batteries are the key componentof booming green technologies, includinghybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric andbattery electric vehicles. Nearly 80% of theglobal lithium resources are located in thesubtropical ?Puna? highlands of Argentina,Bolivia and Chile. In these arid ecosystems, mostbiodiversity is related to wetlands: this highlyvaluable biodiversity includes the emblematicnative camelids, flamingos, and a rich varietyof endemic plants, and other animals. Climatictrends during the past decades, and futureclimate models suggest persistent dryingtendencies. As other mining operations, lithiumexploitations of salty flats require relativelylarge amounts of water. We discuss the researchquestions and priorities to preserve thesevaluable ecosystems in the context of growingpotential conflicts for the use of water.
