MANY LITIHIUM BUT THE WATER IS DECREASING IN ATACAMA

Raquel Celina Rodríguez walks carefully through the Vega de Tilopozo, located in the Atacama salt flat in Chile. This area is recognized for its underground water sources, yet the plain currently appears arid and cracked, with holes that she believes used to be ponds. "Previously, the Vega was entirely lush and green," she remarks. "Animals were hidden in the grass. Now, everything is barren," she notes while watching some llamas grazing. Her family has been raising sheep in this region for many generations. Due to climate change and insufficient rainfall, the decline in grass has made their work even harder. "They" refers to the companies involved in lithium extraction. Beneath the Atacama Desert lie vast reserves of this soft, silver-colored metal, which is crucial for the batteries powering electric vehicles, laptops, and solar energy storage systems. As the world shifts towards clean energy, the demand for this resource has surged dramatically. In 2021, global lithium usage reached around 95,000 tons; by 2024, that number had doubled to 205,000 tons, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). It is projected that by 2040, the figure will exceed 900,000 tons. The IEA attributes most of this increase to the rising demand for batteries for electric cars. Local residents claim that environmental impacts have also escalated. Thus, this growing demand raises the question: Is the global pursuit of decarbonization unintentionally creating another environmental issue? Chile ranks second in global lithium production, trailing only Australia. In 2023, the government launched a National Lithium Strategy to enhance production through partial nationalization of the sector and encouragement of private investment. The finance minister previously stated that production growth could reach up to 70% by 2030, though the Ministry of Mining clarifies that there is no specific goal set. A significant milestone will be reached this year.