Addressing the Invisible Labour behind the Cobalt Industry

A presentation of the film Cobalt Rush and panel discussion

Date: Monday, 15 April
Time: 15:00 – 16:30
Location: UN Headquarters, New York, Conference Room 12

The International Labour Organization in cooperation with the World Council of Peoples for the UN and the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo, invite you to a presentation of the film Cobalt Rush and an interactive panel discussion on how to improve the working conditions of the women and men who are the “invisible face” of an expanding multi-billion-dollar industry.

This event will be held at the margins of the first-ever UN General Assembly Sustainability Week in April where the President of the General Assembly will convene a global stocktaking on sustainable energy marking the completion of the ongoing efforts to implement the plan of action of the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All (2014-2024) and building on the follow-up to the high-level dialogue on energy, to further accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 7 of the 2030 Agenda.

Cobalt is an essential element for electric vehicles and consumer electronics. As such, it is critical for efforts to combat climate change, and for information technology, resulting in high global demand and a lucrative industry. Yet, the workers in cobalt mines face numerous challenges that require a multifaceted approach from the international community to ensure that the drive for essential elements like cobalt does not exacerbate health concerns, poverty, and exploitation among miners. As we navigate these complexities of the global energy transition, the event will serve as a crucial platform for addressing how the extraction of cobalt, a linchpin in this transition, intersects with the Decent Work Agenda’s goals of promoting jobs and enterprise, guaranteeing rights at work, extending social protection and promoting social dialogue. The event will serve as an opportunity to incorporate social justice into the discourse on sustainable energy by underscoring the imperative to harmonize the technological and environmental milestones of sustainable energy with the fundamental rights and dignities of workers.

The event will also underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships in scaling up efforts to improve energy access and efficiency by exploring how the cobalt industry can contribute to alleviating energy poverty through ethical and sustainable mining practices. It will advocate for increased ambition and accelerated implementation of innovative solutions, echoing the global stocktaking event’s call for a concerted effort to meet the energy challenges of our time. By integrating these considerations, the event aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of how ethical cobalt sourcing is integral not only to the energy sector’s sustainability but also to the global pursuit of equitable and inclusive development.

By weaving together the principles of decent work, social justice, and sustainable development, the event aims to catalyze a comprehensive understanding that ethical cobalt sourcing is essential not only to sustainability but also to fostering a globally equitable and inclusive development paradigm. This integrated perspective promises to drive forward a future where the benefits of the green transition are shared equitably, ensuring that no community is left behind in the global quest for sustainable energy solutions.

About the Film

As an essential element in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and consumer electronics, cobalt plays a critical role in the global low-carbon transition to combat climate change, and in the diffusion of information technology. Over the past decade, there has been a boom in cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Two thirds of the global supply of cobalt comes from the DRC, and a considerable portion of this supply is mined by an informal workforce of artisanal miners, called “creuseurs,” who face dangerous human rights and labour conditions. They are the ‘invisible face’ of a multi-billion-dollar industry supporting the demand for EVs relied on to meet Net Zero Carbon targets.
Cobalt Rush is a portrait of three individuals working in the Southern Congolese cobalt mining town of Kolwezi. It explores the universal themes of resilience, hope, and the obligation to make ends meet, as we see our protagonists hunt meaning and opportunity out of their dismal circumstances. Their stories are fraught with danger, and set amidst a context of corporate greed, exploitation, and neo-colonialism. Ultimately, our own complicated relationship with “green” technologies and climate change is revealed, as we are confronted by the invisible side of the insatiable global demand for cobalt.

Programme

Moderator: Ms. Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, ILO Special Representative to the UN

Proposed Speakers:

• H.E. Mr. Zenon Ngay Mukongo, Permanent Representative, Democratic Republic of the Congo to the UN
• Ms. Cristina Duarte, Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor on Africa, UNOSAA
• Mr. Roy Maconachie, Director, Cobalt Rush and Researcher, University of Bath
• Mr. Siddharth Kara, Author, Cobalt Red
• Mr. Casper Edmonds, Head, Manufacturing, Mining, and Energy Unit, ILO
• Mr. Glen Npufane, Mining Director, IndustriAll Global Union
• High-Level Representative of Employers [TBC]

Closing: Ms. Shamina de Gonzaga, Vice-President, WCPUN, & Chief Editor, Centerpoint Now