Congo Cobalt Mines and the Dark Reality Behind Green Energy: Investigating the True Cost of “Ethical” Technology
By: JakeGTV
The Congo cobalt mines are a critical piece of the green energy puzzle, supplying the cobalt that powers electric cars, smartphones, and solar technologies. Major tech companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Tesla have been linked to these mines, and lawsuits have exposed the horrifying conditions that lie beneath the surface of this supposedly “clean” industry. Beneath the polished veneer of green energy lies a web of exploitation, corporate deceit, and environmental hypocrisy. The uncomfortable truth is that the rush toward renewable energy has profound ethical costs, casting doubt on the true sustainability of green technology. Moreover, the players pushing this agenda may have more in common with the fossil fuel industry than we think, profiting from practices as unethical as those of the companies they claim to replace.
The Lawsuits: Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Tesla
In 2019, a shocking lawsuit was filed on behalf of 13 Congolese families against Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Tesla. The lawsuit alleged that these companies benefited from child labor and deadly working conditions in the Congo’s artisanal cobalt mines (1). According to reports, young children were forced to work in these mines, often digging by hand in dangerous conditions to extract cobalt, a critical component in lithium-ion batteries. The lawsuit claimed that children as young as six were subjected to severe risks, with little or no safety measures in place (2). The legal team argued that these tech giants, while outwardly committed to ethical sourcing, knowingly allowed cobalt sourced from exploitative conditions to enter their supply chains, driven by the unrelenting demand for renewable energy products (3).
Investigations into these companies have revealed that the claims made by their corporate social responsibility (CSR) statements often do not reflect reality. The lawsuit highlighted that despite promises to uphold human rights, these companies have done little to verify the true origins of their cobalt. This disconnect underscores the reality that the green technology boom, often presented as a moral imperative, rests on the backs of some of the world’s most vulnerable people (4). For these corporations, turning a blind eye to the suffering in the Congo was a convenient choice, allowing them to continue their meteoric rise in the market while masking the darker side of their operations.
The Green Energy Paradox: Is Fossil Fuel More Ethical?
The green energy industry has long touted its superiority over fossil fuels, painting a picture of a cleaner, more ethical future. But the reality is not so clear-cut. Fossil fuels, while polluting, do not come with the same level of hidden human suffering that characterizes cobalt mining. For example, while the environmental impact of oil extraction is well-documented and deplorable, these processes do not generally involve child labor or human rights abuses on the scale found in the Congo (5). This raises a critical question: Is it truly ethical to transition to energy sources that rely on such devastating exploitation?
The cobalt mining industry has come under scrutiny not just for human rights violations but also for its environmental impact. Artisanal mines in the Congo have led to severe deforestation, soil degradation, and water contamination. Despite the rhetoric around sustainability, green technologies are complicit in significant environmental harm. In contrast, the fossil fuel industry, though also guilty of ecological destruction, is arguably more transparent about the costs associated with its operations. The uncomfortable truth is that the green energy sector’s drive for “clean” energy may, in some cases, be more ethically fraught than the fossil fuel industry it seeks to replace (6).
Climate Change, Corporate Interests, and Control
There is no doubt that climate change is a pressing global issue, but the push for green energy is often used as a cover for more insidious motives. Companies pushing for rapid green energy adoption are frequently funded by groups with vested interests in controlling the global energy market. Climate change provides a convenient justification for this shift, allowing these companies to frame their agenda as a moral imperative while profiting from the increased dependency on technologies they control (7). The notion of “smart cities,” where every device is interconnected and monitored, is just one example of how green technology can morph into a tool of surveillance and control.
In the United States, for instance, the push toward smart cities often involves partnerships with tech companies that aim to integrate data collection into every aspect of daily life. Electric vehicles, smart grids, and renewable energy solutions enable these companies to gather unprecedented amounts of data, effectively tracking the actions of entire populations. The surveillance potential inherent in these technologies is substantial, and the green energy movement may well be paving the way for a future in which privacy is sacrificed for the sake of sustainability (8). Furthermore, declassified FBI documents reveal that false flag operations have historically been used to manipulate public opinion and promote specific agendas (9). In this light, the green energy narrative appears less about preserving the planet and more about consolidating control over a populace increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure.
Transhumanism and the Road Ahead
The narrative around green energy and ethical technology doesn’t stop at cobalt. The ultimate goal of this movement seems to align with transhumanist ideals, where technology is not only integrated into cities but also into our bodies. The push for biometric tracking, implantable chips, and other forms of bio-tech integration are marketed as convenient tools to improve quality of life. But behind the scenes, these developments raise serious ethical questions about autonomy, privacy, and the very nature of what it means to be human.
Transhumanism envisions a world where technology is embedded into our physical selves, potentially linking our bodies to smart city infrastructure. This dystopian vision is no longer confined to science fiction; it is an agenda that is steadily being advanced by tech giants. Programs funded by major corporations are already working on interfaces to link the human brain to computers, allowing for a level of control previously unimaginable (10). The companies pushing this agenda are the same ones involved in cobalt mining and other exploitative practices, revealing a disturbing continuity between the extractive processes that harm the Congo’s children and the technological future they envision for all of us.
Knowledge is Warfare: The Battle for the Truth
Ultimately, the pursuit of information is our greatest weapon in this fight. By understanding who funds the studies and controls the narratives around green energy and technology, we can better navigate the truth amid a sea of corporate propaganda. Mainstream journalism, sustained by pharmaceutical and tech advertising dollars, has little incentive to expose the darker sides of these industries. Cable news outlets rely on the funding of companies like Pfizer and Google, which limits the scope of their reporting and shapes the content they produce (11). It’s no wonder that a growing number of people are turning to independent sources and influencers to find information that challenges the mainstream narrative.
By staying informed, challenging the rhetoric, and seeking out credible information, we can resist the encroachment of corporate interests into our lives and health.
The story of Congo’s cobalt mines, framed as a green energy necessity, is emblematic of a much larger issue. We are being led down a path toward a future that is controlled by the very companies profiting from our dependence. The move toward renewable energy, smart cities, and transhumanism may well represent a new frontier in the age-old struggle between freedom and control. In the end, knowledge remains our best defense against this encroaching power, a tool to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the dark realities of corporate control masquerading as progress.
References
1. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, “Are These Tech Companies Complicit In Human Rights Abuses Of Child Cobalt Miners In Congo?” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
2. Amnesty International, “Child Labour Behind Smart Phone and Electric Car Batteries,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
3. The Independent, “Cobalt mining for Big Tech is driving child labor, deaths in the Congo,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
4. Human Rights Watch, “Child Labor and Human Rights Violations in the Mining Industry of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
5. National Geographic, “The Environmental Cost of Cobalt Mining,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
6. Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, “Why the Rush to Renewable Energy May Be Just as Damaging as Fossil Fuels,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
7. The Intercept, “How the Fossil Fuel Industry Funds Climate Change Denial,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
8. Wired, “The Rise of Smart Cities: Convenience or Surveillance?” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
9. Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Declassified Documents: False Flag Operations,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
10. Nature, “The Emerging Field of Brain-Computer Interfaces,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
11. The Washington Post, “Pharmaceutical Ads Dominate Cable News,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
