World’s Largest Miners Pledge ‘Nature Positive’ Future at WEF Meeting in Davos

Alcoa, Anglo American, BHP, Glencore, and Rio Tinto have all vowed to tighten environmental restrictions around their mining activities.

Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Klaus Schwab is seen at the opening of the WEF Davos Agenda in Cologny near Geneva on Jan. 17, 2022. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

A group of companies that produce around a third of the world’s mining and metals output has used the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos to commit to a “nature positive” future, laying out a five-point plan to halt the negative impact on biodiversity by 2030.

With EVs driving demand for more and larger batteries, a 20-fold surge in demand for nickel and cobalt mining is expected by 2040, while the need for copper is projected to double by 2050, despite widespread recovery and recycling of such metals.