CHINA’S EXTRACTIVISM IDEOLOGY Blog 1 of 3 on the rapidly accelerating boom in China’s demand for critical minerals In a decarbonising world transitioning to “green” energy, Tibet is now emerging as China’s frontline source of two key critical minerals: copper and lithium. Both have been exploited by Chinese miners for decades, but in […]
TIBET AND GLOBAL SOUTH RESOURCE NATIONALISM Blog 2 of 3 on the rapidly accelerating boom in China’s demand for critical minerals There are countries rich in minerals that have decentralised power, are struggling with the legacies of recent conflicts and civil wars, and the national government is unable to simply apply state violence to attack […]
COPPER-COLOURED MOUNTAINS Blog 3 of 3 on the rapidly accelerating boom in China’s demand for critical minerals The race is on, both within China and worldwide, for dominance in copper mining. China already dominates copper refining, and now seeks to own and extract worldwide the raw ores that enable its dominance. In copper, China is […]
What to expect in 2023: A series of blogs about the short term future of Tibet Can there be more to say about lithium? Well, yes: a lot is happening, with big impacts on troubled parts of Tibet. Please do read on. Or for the story from the start: https://rukor.org/lithium-lithium-lithium/ Blog #3: TIBET GOES GLOBAL […]
What to expect in 2023: A series of blogs about the short term future of Tibet LITHIUM’S MOMENT #4 Lithium as an industry with global reach, global conflict minerals governance Why is 2023 for Tibetans not only Water Rabbit year, but also lithium year? Timing is everything. Now that China has emplaced Tibet in the […]
What to expect in 2023: A series of blogs about the short term future of Tibet Blog 1: lithium mania Never has Tibet been so hot, so desirable. A whole Tibetan landscape was up for auction online in May 2022, and for five days and nights the bids poured in, drawn by what lies under […]
What to expect in 2023: A series of LITHIUM, LITHIUM, LITHIUM blogs about the short term future of Tibet Blog 2: WILL CHINA DOMINATE THE FOURTH GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, POWERED BY TIBETAN RESOURCES? China’s developmentalist party-state is committed to doing whatever it takes to dominate lithium battery production, including state-financed research, subsidies, tax breaks, low […]
What to expect in 2023: A series of LITHIUM, LITHIUM, LITHIUM blogs about the short term future of Tibet #3: TIBET’S MOMENT ARRIVES For Tibetans, 2023 Water Rabbit year is auspicious. Europe is rethinking what to make of the rise and rise of China, open to questioning complacent assumptions that held for decades, and now […]
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2023: Blog one in a series on the year ahead TIBETAN PLATEAU ECOLOGICAL CONSERVATION LAW Legislation that for the first time covers the entire Tibetan Plateau as a single unit is due for debate and enactment in the National People’s Congress session scheduled for 27 to 30 December 2022. If […]
CHINA HAS NOW LEFT THE ENVIRONMENT ROOM Full text of presentation by Gabriel Lafitte, Climate Change Implication on Tibet: Viewpoints & Realities, Nov 16, 2022 China is the leader of the developing world. So China says. China speaks up for all developing countries, from Cairo to Capetown, Manila to Mexico, Hanoi to Hyderabad. China demands […]