Elon Musk standing in front of a Tesla car
Credit: Maurizio Pesce/Flickr

Tesla’s hunger for nickel clashes with New Caledonia’s biodiversity crisis

The demand for nickel to power electric vehicle batteries is driving mining expansion in New Caledonia, threatening the unique biodiversity of one of the world’s most ecologically rich regions.

Ben Crair reports for The New Yorker.


In short:

  • New Caledonia holds a quarter of the world’s nickel resources, a critical material for EV batteries and companies like Tesla rely on its mines to fuel the green transition.
  • The island is home to thousands of endemic species, many of which are found nowhere else, yet nickel mining is razing rainforests that took centuries to grow.
  • Scientists warn that mining could accelerate species extinction, making New Caledonia’s forests a battleground between biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.

Key quote:

“Climate change is not the principal driver of current population declines or species extinctions… habitat loss is.”

— 2021 study by conservation biologists

Why this matters:

The green energy transition risks eroding global biodiversity if critical habitats are sacrificed for materials like nickel. While the world races toward a cleaner future, the price is being paid in the silence of disappearing species and razed rainforests. Read more: In push to mine for minerals, clean energy advocates ask what going green really means.

Image of Wind turbines, solar panels, and power plant towers.
Credit: jaroslavav/ BigStock Photo ID: 83377346

Senate passes ​GOP budget bill, hampering US shift to clean energy

A Senate-approved Republican budget bill would gut core parts of the 2022 climate law, stalling clean energy growth and likely raising Americans’ utility bills. The bill now goes to the House for final approval.

Matthew Daly reports for the Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
Person holding No Nature No Future signage during a demonstration.

World leaders stall as Cop30 looms and climate pledges remain unfinished

With just four months until the United Nations climate summit in Brazil, most countries have yet to submit updated emissions plans, threatening the world’s ability to stay below the 1.5C warming threshold.

Fiona Harvey reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
Saudi Aramco flag with a skyscraper in background.

Saudi oil official’s role in climate science report raises conflict of interest concerns

A longtime Saudi Aramco employee’s nomination to help lead a major United Nations climate report has sparked fresh questions about fossil fuel influence inside the world’s top climate science body.

Karl Mathiesen reports for POLITICO.

Keep reading...Show less
four people on ice near icebergs during daytime.

Ocean salinity shifts are melting Antarctic sea ice faster, scientists find

Rising salt levels near Antarctica are altering ocean dynamics, drawing up warm water and accelerating sea ice loss, new satellite data reveal.

Sachi Kitajima Mulkey reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Two soccer players collide mid-air as the ball bounces off one of their heads.

Vermont soccer club kicks toward a cleaner future

In Burlington, Vermont, a scrappy amateur soccer team is drawing crowds and taking climate action one game at a time.

Cara Buckley reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Coal power plant with smoke rising from towers.
Credit: catazul/Pixabay

EPA moves to delay coal plant water pollution rules, raising health concerns

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced plans to delay and potentially weaken water pollution standards for coal-fired power plants, citing energy grid demands and economic pressures.

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

Keep reading...Show less
Scientist using pipette to place liquid into containers.

EPA staff accuse Trump administration of sidelining science

More than 270 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employees have accused the Trump administration of pushing a political agenda that undermines science and endangers public health.

Maxine Joselow reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.