Hofgeismarer Lateinamerikagespräche, in conversation with churches, academia, politics and civil society, January 26-28, 2024
Against the backdrop of the climate and energy crisis, societies worldwide are facing a transformation towards post-fossil energy production. This is changing existing raw material requirements. Many of the raw materials needed in the future are deposited in Latin America. At the same time, the region offers potential for expanding large-scale wind and solar energy plants.
If the global energy transition is to succeed, the fossil raw material base of the global economy will have to change fundamentally. Electric cars need copper and lithium; photovoltaics require silicon; wind turbines can only be built using rare earths. This change will impact ecosystems, the use of land and sea areas, and the region’s political, institutional and social fabric. Some Latin American countries must forego foreign currency from oil and gas sales. In contrast, other countries can multiply their income thanks to copper or lithium reserves. What domestic conflicts will arise? How will the international division of labor change regarding the energy transition and growing geopolitical rivalries over secure access to the „new“ strategic resources? It is already clear that the energy transition in Germany and Europe depends on raw materials, land and labor from regions of the world such as Latin America.
The conference will discuss the far-reaching implications of „green“ interdependencies in Latin America. Experts from science, politics and civil society will discuss future solution strategies.
