Photo by MiningWatch Portugal on Unsplash
New Zealand is at a crossroads when it comes to its mining industry. On the one hand, we’re rich in valuable minerals essential for modern technologies and the transition to a green economy. On the other hand, mining these resources domestically poses significant environmental risks. As the government aims to double the sector’s export value by 2035, a critical ethical question emerges: Is it fair to offshore the environmental impact of mining to other countries while reaping the benefits at home?
The Ethics of Offshoring Our Environmental Impact
The concept of offshoring environmental impact refers to the practice of importing resources mined in other countries, therefore shifting the environmental burdens of extraction away from New Zealand. While this approach allows us to maintain our pristine landscapes, it raises significant ethical concerns. By relying on imported minerals, we are effectively outsourcing the environmental degradation and social unrest associated with mining to countries with less stringent environmental protections.
This practice has become increasingly controversial as global awareness of environmental and social conflict issues grows. Critics argue that it is hypocritical for a country like New Zealand, which prides itself on its clean, green image, to avoid the environmental impacts of mining by depending on resources extracted under potentially harmful conditions elsewhere when it could be exploring domestic resources within its borders.
The Global Environmental Cost of New Zealand’s Mineral Imports
The minerals that New Zealand imports to support its economy and energy transition, such as copper, lithium, and cobalt, tend to come from countries with far weaker environmental and labour regulations. For instance, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a major source of the world’s cobalt, a mineral critical for the production of batteries in electric vehicles. However, mining in the DRC is linked to severe environmental degradation, human rights abuses, and funding of armed conflict.
While we don’t directly import these minerals from the DRC, by not exploring our own domestic supply, we are making ourselves reliant on resources mined in the “war-torn Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo” when we could be making more of an effort to alleviate the problem.
The extraction processes for these minerals are typically associated with high strip ratios, meaning vast amounts of earth must be moved to access relatively small quantities of ore. This not only devastates local ecosystems but also generates large volumes of waste that require careful management—something that is often lacking in the countries supplying these minerals. By importing these materials, New Zealand is indirectly contributing to these environmental and social issues.
Further, New Zealand’s growing reliance on importing coal from overseas following the 2018 ban on domestic oil and gas exploration has exacerbated our carbon footprint. In 2020, 235 kilograms of overseas coal was imported to New Zealand, with 92% of that coal coming from Indonesia. Coal mining practices in Indonesia are notoriously bad, “Not only are we burning more coal, [but] it’s the dirtiest coal. And it comes from Indonesia where the conditions and the mining is appalling,” environmental campaigner Cindy Baxter said in 2021.
The Case for Domestic Mining Under Strict Regulations
Proponents of domestic mining argue that New Zealand should take responsibility for the environmental impacts of the minerals it consumes. By mining these resources at home, the country can ensure that extraction is carried out under strict environmental regulations. Dr Martin Brook of the School of Environment argues that this approach could mitigate the global environmental burden and align with New Zealand’s ethical values. It would also align with the Māori concept of tauutuutu, which has increasingly informed how we think about the effect mining has on our land, emphasising balance, reciprocity, and symbiosis in environmental relationships.
Mining under New Zealand’s regulatory framework, as seen at OceanaGold’s Martha mine in Waihi, has shown that it is possible to manage environmental risks effectively. With proper oversight, tailings dams can be stabilised, water quality can be monitored, and ecosystem restoration efforts can be implemented post-mining. This level of environmental stewardship is rarely matched in the countries from which New Zealand relies upon natural minerals, making a strong case for increasing domestic production under sustainable practices.
The Moral Imperative for Change
There is a growing recognition that the current model of offshoring environmental impact is unsustainable and ethically problematic. New Zealand’s continued reliance on imported minerals not only perpetuates environmental harm abroad but also undermines global efforts to address the environmental and social challenges associated with mining. As the world transitions to greener technologies, the demand for minerals will only increase, intensifying the need for responsible sourcing.
Moreover, the argument that foreign landscapes are more expendable than New Zealand’s pristine wilderness is increasingly difficult to justify. The global community is interconnected, and environmental degradation in one part of the world has far-reaching consequences, including contributing to climate change and loss of biodiversity. By taking a leadership role in sustainable mining, New Zealand can help set a global standard for responsible resource extraction.
Looking Toward a More Ethical Mining Future
The debate over offshoring environmental impacts highlights the need for a more ethical approach to resource management in New Zealand. While the country has the option to continue importing minerals and offloading the associated environmental costs, this path is fraught with ethical dilemmas and long-term risks. Instead, New Zealand could embrace a more sustainable and responsible approach by increasing domestic mining under strict environmental regulations.
By doing so, New Zealand can contribute to global environmental sustainability, uphold its ethical obligations, and ensure that the transition to a green economy does not come at the expense of vulnerable communities and ecosystems abroad.