Low-carbon transitions create 'decarbonisation divides' through upstream exploitation and downstream toxicity.

Why It Matters

Designers and engineers must consider the full lifecycle impact of their innovations, extending beyond the immediate use phase to encompass the sourcing of raw materials and the disposal or recycling of products. Ignoring these 'upstream' and 'downstream' processes can lead to unintended negative consequences, such as pollution, resource depletion, and social injustice.

Key Finding

The study found that while low-carbon technologies are promoted, their production relies on exploitative and toxic practices in resource mining and waste handling, creating significant social and environmental problems that are often ignored.

Key Findings

• Low-carbon transitions are implicated in toxic pollution and biodiversity loss at the resource extraction and waste disposal stages.
• These transitions can exacerbate gender inequality, child labor, and the subjugation of ethnic minorities.
• Current solutions like formalization or financing are insufficient to address the systemic issues of the 'decarbonisation divide'.

Research Evidence

Aim: To investigate the 'decarbonisation divide' by examining the exploitation and toxicity inherent in the upstream extraction of resources for low-carbon technologies and the downstream management of their waste.

Method: Qualitative research combining expert interviews, community interviews, and site visits.

Procedure: Conducted 34 semi-structured interviews with experts and 69 interviews with community members (artisanal miners, e-waste workers, etc.), alongside 50 site visits to cobalt mines in the DRC and e-waste processing sites in Ghana.

Sample Size: 103 participants (34 experts + 69 community members)

Context: Resource extraction (cobalt mining) and waste management (e-waste processing) in Africa, linked to global low-carbon transitions.

Design Principle

Embrace full lifecycle responsibility in design, accounting for both upstream resource extraction and downstream waste management to ensure genuine sustainability.

How to Apply

When selecting materials for a design project, research their origin and the social/environmental conditions of their extraction. Similarly, design products with end-of-life scenarios in mind, facilitating repair, reuse, or responsible recycling.

Limitations

The study focuses on specific case studies in the DRC and Ghana, which may not be representative of all low-carbon transition contexts globally. The qualitative nature of the research provides depth but may limit generalizability.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: Making green products can still cause harm if we don't think about where the materials come from and what happens to the product when it's thrown away.

Why This Matters: It's important for design projects to show awareness of the wider impact of design choices, not just how a product looks or functions.

Critical Thinking: How can designers actively mitigate the 'decarbonisation divide' in their practice, moving beyond simply choosing 'eco-friendly' materials to addressing systemic issues of exploitation and toxicity?

IA-Ready Paragraph: This research highlights the 'decarbonisation divide,' where the pursuit of low-carbon technologies can lead to significant environmental and social exploitation in resource extraction and waste management. This underscores the necessity for designers to critically evaluate the entire lifecycle of their products, from raw material sourcing to end-of-life, to ensure genuine sustainability and avoid unintended negative consequences.

Project Tips

• When choosing materials, research their supply chains for ethical and environmental concerns.
• Consider how your product can be disassembled, repaired, or recycled at the end of its life.

How to Use in IA

• Use this research to justify the selection of sustainable materials and design for disassembly in your design project's development.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of the full product lifecycle, including material sourcing and end-of-life management, in your design project.

Independent Variable: Low-carbon transition initiatives

Dependent Variable: Exploitation (labor, gender inequality, ethnic minorities), Toxicity (pollution, biodiversity loss), Waste flows

Strengths

• Provides a critical perspective on low-carbon transitions, moving beyond technological fixes.
• Utilizes rich qualitative data from fieldwork in relevant contexts.

Critical Questions

• What are the ethical responsibilities of designers and manufacturers regarding the full lifecycle impacts of their products?
• How can policy and design interventions effectively address the 'decarbonisation divide'?

Extended Essay Application

• An Extended Essay could explore the ethical implications of specific material choices in a design field, investigating their supply chains and potential for exploitation or environmental damage.

Source

The decarbonisation divide: Contextualizing landscapes of low-carbon exploitation and toxicity in Africa · Global Environmental Change · 2019 · 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2019.102028