While new mines are being built in Europe in the name of the green transition and mining companies position themselves as climate allies, a Spanish farmer and two indigenous reindeer herders in Sweden are fighting to preserve their way of life.
The Green Deal, Europe’s new growth strategy, is Brussels' recipe to save the planet from climate collapse. With electriccars and renewables, the EU believes it an promote economic growth while protecting the planet. Is that possible? Green technologies require many critical metals that are supplied mainly by China. To reduce dependencies, politicians are in favor of reopening “green” mines in Europe. But people living in the areas are worried that their lives will be sacrificed for the energy transition. This is the case of Hector, a Spanish farmer, and Matti, a Swedish reindeer herder. They are determined to fight against these projects that threaten their way of life. While the industry is lobbying forthe adoption of an EU law on critical raw materials to facilitate the opening of new mines, Diego, from an environmental NGO, travels across Europe to investigate whether mining can ever be truly sustainable.