Now playing Next Europe Decoded Lithium’s green potential fails to defuse opposition to mining in EU The push to mine precious metals needed for the green transition sets the EU Commission on a collision course with concerned citizens. 23/02/2023
Now playing Next Eco-Innovation Sea salt batteries could be a cheap, green alternative to lithium Lithium - the main component in most electric batteries - can be costly to mine. But researchers have made a breakthrough with alternative ‘molten salt’ batteries. 13/12/2022
Now playing Next Living Vapes are a 'new threat' to the planet, experts warn Research by Material Focus found that around 1.3 million single-use e-cigarettes are thrown away in the UK every week. 26/11/2022
Now playing Next Green News The US is mining more lithium. What does that mean for the planet? The US currently has only one operational lithium mine. That could soon change, with multiple new projects in development across the country. 21/11/2022
Now playing Next Living ‘We can’t eat lithium’: South Americans strike back at mining industry Lithium extraction requires vast amounts of water, and is jeopardising people's lives and livelihoods in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. 28/10/2022
Now playing Next Eco-Innovation Meet the man using e-waste to build solar lamps in Nigeria In Nigeria, a local company called QuadLoop is turning electronic waste into solar lanterns as a way to fight the energy crisis and climate change. 24/10/2022
Now playing Next Green News Massive French lithium mine set to open as electric car sales surge French minerals company Imerys is set to open a massive lithium mine in France which could produce 34,000 tonnes of the rare earth metal per year. 24/10/2022
Now playing Next Travel News Are AirTags banned on flights? Here’s what the airlines say Lufthansa and IATA think AirTags are safe to use on flights - so why are the bag-tracking devices still banned? 13/10/2022
Now playing Next Eco-Innovation Cheaper electric vehicles are coming despite high battery costs The new Equinox EV is only slightly more expensive than regular compact SUVs. 13/09/2022
Now playing Next Eco-Innovation This low cost battery could cut the cost of green energy in your home Scientists at MIT have invented a new battery to back-up renewables, at a sixth of the cost of the standard model. 29/08/2022
Now playing Next Eco-Innovation How batteries will supercharge the renewable revolution The cost of solar and wind energy keeps going down - now we need storage to take fossil fuels out of the picture completely. 21/07/2022
Now playing Next Eco-Innovation Soaring battery costs fail to cool electric vehicle sales The rising price of fossil fuels and environmental concerns mean people are still buying electric cars despite an increase in cost. 19/04/2022
Now playing Next Europe Decoded The EU needs lithium to help wean it off oil. But is there enough? Lithium mining has been controversial in Serbia and Portugal, but it is integral to Europe's energy transition. 14/04/2022
Now playing Next Green Opinion How can we make electric car batteries sustainable? A global transition to a low-carbon world means moving away from environmentally harmful lithium extraction and looking at greener solutions. 25/03/2022
Now playing Next Mobility How Russia's invasion of Ukraine means more expensive EVs The cost of EVs has long been cited as a reason why more people haven't yet switched from polluting petrol and diesel cars to electric. 08/03/2022
Now playing Next Eco-Innovation Could replacing lithium with salt solve the battery crisis? From salt, to silicon, to hemp - these are the lithium-ion battery substitutes touted as the next big thing for electric cars. 09/02/2022
Now playing Next Portugal Portugal's government approves lithium mining despite growing concerns Portugal’s government gave the lucrative mining industry permission to extract the metal in six different parts of the country despite widespread environmental concerns. 05/02/2022
Now playing Next Nature South America's 'lithium fields' reveal the dark side of electric cars Demand for lithium-ion batteries is unprecedented - but is mining the chemical harmful to the environment? 01/02/2022
Now playing Next Serbia Serbian government scraps planned lithium mine after protests Serbian PM Ana Brnabić said on Thursday that the government has cancelled all prior licences for Rio Tinto's planned mine in the west of the country. 20/01/2022
Now playing Next Serbia Rio Tinto announces pushback in new lithium mine project in Serbia Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić said on Tuesday that the Serbian government would not make any decisions without consulting the local communities first. 19/01/2022
