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EU critical minerals strategy 2025 | Citizen of Europe | July 30, 2025
Europe’s clean energy transition still relies on minerals extracted in massive open-pit mines like this one.
Europe Wants to Go Green. Fast.
By 2030, the EU plans to slash emissions, phase out fossil fuels, and electrify everything from transport to heating.
But behind every solar panel and electric car lies an inconvenient truth:
You can’t decarbonize without extraction.
Enter the critical minerals — lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements. These materials form the backbone of clean energy technologies. And Europe doesn’t have nearly enough of them.
Final Thought: Climate Justice Isn’t Just Carbon Math
The green transition isn’t clean unless it’s also just.
Europe’s future depends not only on how quickly it decarbonizes — but on how ethically.
Because what’s the point of saving the planet if you scorch half of it in the process?
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