Implementing policy changes at both national and international levels can significantly reduce the environmental impacts of bauxite mining: Matthew Groch, Mighty Earth

Matthew Groch is the Senior Director of Decarbonisation at Mighty Earth, overseeing the organisation’s decarbonisation campaign. In his role, he focuses on transforming the heavy industry, including steel and aluminium, towards more sustainable practices across its supply chains. Matthew also ensures that the leading automakers in the electric vehicle transition are shifting their material supply chains to low-carbon and deforestation-free sources.

Before joining Mighty Earth, Matthew Groch was Deputy Director at Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, working on critical issues such as the NAFTA renegotiation and global COVID-19 vaccine access.

Matthew holds a B.A. in political science from Drew University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2008.

AL Circle: Can you provide an overview of Mighty Earth's mission and primary goals? What are the main strategies and tactics that Mighty Earth employs to achieve its objectives?

Matthew Groch: We’re working to transform some of the highest emitting industries—such as the automotive industry, cattle, and agricultural commodities such as soy, palm oil, and cocoa—to become cleaner and greener and help protect the local and Indigenous communities affected by these damaging industries. 

We create and sustain pressure across the supply chain, targeting companies with proven links to the destruction of nature. We probe and push to highlight environmental injustice and call out bad actors. We present viable and sustainable practices to replace destructive ones.  

We use data and satellite technology to reveal critical threats to wildlife, nature, climate, and communities and mobilise our teams to drive solutions through campaigns and policy. We use science to underpin our global pressure campaigns, raise visibility, and gain necessary commitments from corporations to help reverse environmental destruction.

Our teams transform industries by creating a “perfect storm” of grassroots pressure, communications, and influence from customers and financiers that ultimately pressure these companies to be a force for good and to end deforestation and human rights abuses in their global supply chains.

AL Circle: The aluminium sector is responsible for 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide pollution annually. What are the primary factors contributing to these emissions?

Matthew Groch: The emissions from aluminium production vary significantly based on the energy source used, with the smelting process being the primary contributor to these emissions. Primary aluminium production that relies on coal-powered smelting can account for over 80% of the total emissions. China, which produces almost half of the world’s primary aluminium, relies heavily on coal power, with 75% of its aluminium smelting powered by coal. This makes aluminium production in China extremely carbon-intensive, averaging 15 to 20 tCO2/tonne of aluminium. For comparison, a country like Canada, which uses hydroelectricity for aluminium production, has much lower emissions, averaging 3 to 6 tCO2/tonne of aluminium. 

AL Circle: With demand for primary aluminium expected to increase by 40% by 2050, what are the key environmental concerns associated with this increase?

Matthew Groch: According to the International Aluminium Institute, demand for primary aluminium will increase by 40% by 2050, while demand for recycled post-consumer scrap will triple during that time. Simply put, even if we recycle every scrap of aluminium currently available, the world will still require the production of more primary aluminium to meet global demands, particularly for EVs.

Beyond the carbon intensity of smelting, there are several concerns related to the increase in demand for primary aluminium. The unrelenting quest for more aluminium and bauxite, the principal ore of aluminium, has led to real consequences for the communities and environment surrounding the mines. Firstly, some mining companies are not taking care of the environment. Companies need to employ the “mitigation hierarchy,” which includes several standards that would reduce the environmental impact of bauxite mining on the land. Companies need to restore and offset their negative impacts, which haven’t always been followed. Secondly, we are concerned about the communities living near the mines where extracting bauxite involves ripping up the land, including forest floors, and polluting water. While companies often point to the economic advantages for communities near mining operations, the high environmental and human costs often outweigh the benefits.

AL Circle: How does the demand for recycled aluminium impact the overall environmental footprint of the aluminium sector?

Matthew Groch: Mighty Earth advocates for 100% circularity, where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. Ongoing efforts to achieve this should be commended and supported. Still, the industry will continue to need new aluminium in electric vehicle production and construction as overall demand increases. In other words, we should push for more recyclable aluminium, but as the industry continues to mine bauxite to produce primary aluminium, we need to ensure that local communities and the environment are protected and not further harmed.

AL Circle: What role does coal power play in the aluminium smelting process, and what are the potential alternatives to reduce emissions?

Matthew Groch: The most energy- and carbon-intensive part of aluminium production is smelting alumina into aluminium. The type of electricity generation technology available in a region plays a critical role in determining aluminium smelters' location and environmental impact. Green hydrogen powered by renewable energy, with its low carbon emissions, is highly desirable but geographically limited, while coal power, though economically advantageous, poses significant environmental challenges. The use of coal-fired electricity in smelting releases harmful pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide and particulate matter, which can cause severe health problems and environmental damage. Moreover, coal mining and transportation for aluminium smelters lead to further ecological degradation, including habitat destruction and water contamination.

AL Circle: Can you summarise the new report's key findings, "The Impact of the Bauxite Boom on People and the Planet"?

Matthew Groch: For the first time, this report takes a global look at the bauxite and aluminium industry by reviewing and combining all available literature on the industry and its impact on people and the environment for four specific countries: Australia, Brazil, Guinea, and Indonesia. The demand for aluminium has risen significantly in recent years. That increase is expected to continue growing in the decades to come, especially as the world transitions to electric vehicles. With this increased demand for aluminium derived from bauxite, companies have been increasingly pressured to mine more bauxite as quickly as possible. This has had substantial impacts on the environment, which has then impacted the lives and livelihoods of local and indigenous communities surrounding these mines.

Key stats from the report:

• Mining bauxite produces “red mud”, which can pollute waterways. It’s estimated that aluminium production could lead to 10 billion tonnes of red mud globally by 2050.
• In West Kalimantan, Indonesian children suffer skin conditions attributed to run-off from bauxite mines polluting rivers and streams. 
• Guinea has the world’s biggest bauxite reserves. A government study estimated that in the next two decades, more than 200,000 acres of farmland and 1.1 million acres (about twice the area of Yosemite National Park) of natural habitat will be destroyed by bauxite mining.
• In the Brazilian Amazon, bauxite mining byproducts leach into rivers and streams that local communities depend on for water and fishing. Medical tests found that at least one woman had “175 times the amount of aluminium considered safe in her hair.”
• In the northern jarrah forests of Western Australia, one of the most biodiverse temperate forests on earth, scientists warn of species extinction due to the expansion of bauxite mining.

AL Circle: With the demand for aluminium expected to increase by 2050, what measures are being called for to ensure responsible mining practices?

Matthew Groch: Mighty Earth makes the following five recommendations to mitigate the harm of bauxite mining and aluminium production on local communities:

First, the bauxite mining industry and its customers must uphold Indigenous and local communities' free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), including the right to withhold consent to develop bauxite or aluminium infrastructure. The industry also must ensure adequate compensation for communities who experience harm.

Second, we strongly encourage all active players to join the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) and adopt its standards. IRMA is the only independent third-party program for assessing industrial-scale mine sites for all mined materials. It is governed equally by the private sector, communities, civil society, and workers.

Third, bauxite mines and their customers must follow the “mitigation hierarchy” of Avoid, Minimise, Restore, Compensate, and Offset.

Fourth, in the countries examined in this report, each respective government must find ways to further enforce and expand existing labour and environmental laws to minimise the negative environmental impacts on local communities. In some cases, governments should repeal laws that reduce the protections previously provided to local communities.

Finally, we call on major primary aluminium-consuming industries, like auto and construction companies, to audit their full supply chains all the way back to the mines where the bauxite originates.

AL Circle: How can global EV manufacturers ensure their supply chains are not contributing to human rights abuses and environmental harm?

Matthew Groch: As I noted in our recent report, The Impact of the Bauxite Boom on People and the Planet, it is imperative that manufacturers of electric vehicles understand their bauxite and aluminium supply chains, from mine to vehicle, and that they make a targeted effort to ensure that the metals they are sourcing are not leading to deforestation, polluted waterways, and human rights abuses. All automakers, including global EV manufacturers, need to know where their materials come from and should be able to map their aluminium supply across the entire supply chain. Once supply chains are mapped, automakers should work with third-party auditors to ensure that audits are being conducted at the mines where they source the materials. In addition, automakers should have open lines of communication with a variety of stakeholders like NGOs and local communities to engage and address any human rights or environmental harms/abuses that may occur in aluminium production.

AL Circle: What role do governments play in enforcing labour and environmental laws related to bauxite mining?

Matthew Groch: Governments play an important role in ensuring that their local constituencies benefit from resource extraction and that their country’s advancement to a greener world does not cost the surrounding environment and local communities. Governments should stop prioritizing foreign investment in bauxite extraction over the health and safety of local communities, nature, and the environment.

AL Circle: What are the challenges and opportunities for bauxite mining companies to follow the "mitigation hierarchy" of Avoid, Minimise, Restore, and Offset?

Matthew Groch: The mitigation hierarchy is important for companies to offset their emissions and to make efforts to decarbonise their supply chains. There may be an added cost to enact these policies, but companies that do not implement these policies may face reputational risk from their consumers. As an example, Hyundai has agreed to source aluminium from Adaro Minerals, a major energy producer, which would have led to the construction of a large coal power plant in Indonesia. In April 2024, Hyundai ended its agreement with Adaro Minerals after a campaign supported by millions of young K-pop called on Hyundai to not procure supplies from Adaro due to its use of coal power plants.

AL Circle: Can you explain the role of the Initiative for Responsible Mining (IRMA) and its importance in the mining industry?

Matthew Groch: The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is the only independent third-party program for assessing industrial-scale mine sites for all mined materials. It has truly multi stakeholder governance, equally split amongst the private sector, communities, civil society, and workers.  While the standard is not perfect, IRMA is the current best practice for the mining industry to undergo audits and the standard provides the best tool we have to push for responsible mining globally. Currently, IRMA is in a revision process that will strengthen the standard, providing room for even stronger environmental and social safeguards. 

AL Circle: What policy changes are necessary at the national and international levels to minimise the environmental impacts of bauxite mining?

Matthew Groch: Implementing policy changes at both national and international levels can significantly reduce the environmental impacts of bauxite mining. We can create a more sustainable and responsible bauxite mining industry by promoting sustainable practices, protecting communities, and ensuring robust monitoring and enforcement. Countries should encourage trade policies that favour bauxite and aluminium products from sustainably managed mines, using mechanisms like CBAM to impose tariffs on environmentally damaging practices. Additionally, countries should develop international environmental standards for bauxite mining that all countries must adhere to, ensuring a level playing field and consistent environmental protection. At the national level, governments should implement stringent environmental standards for bauxite mining, including air and water quality regulations, to minimise pollution and habitat destruction. Also, countries should mandate mine reclamation plans that require companies to restore mined areas to their natural state or to a condition that supports sustainable land use post-mining.

AL Circle: How does Mighty Earth engage policymakers to advocate for stronger environmental and labour protections?

Matthew Groch: True to our “perfect storm” approach, we combine our evidence-based reports that highlight the environmental and social impacts of industries, and public support to exert pressure on policymakers. Through strategic communication and grassroots mobilization, we ensure that the experiences and opinions of affected communities are heard and considered in the policymaking process.

AL Circle: Can you share any success stories where Mighty Earth's advocacy has led to positive changes in the mining industry?

Matthew Groch: Mighty Earth’s work on critical minerals is progressing rapidly and we have released reports in succession on nickel and bauxite. From an advocacy point of view, we are part of a coalition of environmental, trade and other advocacy groups, which sent a letter to the Biden administration pushing for strong social and environmental standards in any future Critical Minerals Agreement (CMA). Working with a coalition of advocacy groups, we are raising awareness among policymakers on the potential harms of mining - and how to implement environmental and social safeguards to mine more responsibly.

Our nicked report, “From Forests to EVs,” analyses nickel-driven deforestation in Indonesia and the impact on local communities, specifically the Bajau nomadic sea tribe on Kabeana, an island off Sulawesi.  Our findings, along with field research and supply chain data, will promote traceability and transparency in the mining sector. Being able to trace EV batteries back to the mine is a major step to holding the nickel industry and automakers accountable for the impacts of deforestation. Our recommendations provide direction for:

• Governments to enforce regulations and refine permitting processes for mines to better protect forests and people;
• For EV manufacturers to make deforestation commitments and disclose sourcing information to the public;
• For the nickel industry to conduct land assessments to avoid forests and biodiverse areas and phase out fossil fuels