The World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Global Battery Alliance, a public-private partnership led by the Forum, commissioned a report prepared with McKinseyThe report, “A vision for a sustainable battery value chain in 2030 – Unlocking the full potential to power sustainable development and climate change mitigation“, includes a foreword co-authored by Benedikt Sobotka (CEO of Eurasian Resources Group). “The vast potential of the global battery sector transcends boundaries across economies, industries and geographies. Harnessed appropriately, it may help meet the 2°C goal of Paris Agreement and create millions of safe jobs but also alleviate poverty and tackle ethical issues in the most vulnerable communities. This opportunity should be seized upon but, as this landmark report highlights, it is only through coordinated, collaborative action that we can achieve our collective global sustainability ambitions.”
The report provides a comprehensive outlook into the global battery sector and emphasises the increasing role of batteries in achieving the climate change goals and in fostering the development of the world economy. With a concerted push to put the right conditions in place, battery revolution could create 10 million jobs, add $150 billion to the global economy in 2030 and provide electricity to 600 million people for the first time in their lives.
In the Global Mining Review’s Q&A article, Mr Sobotka gives his view on the importance of the report. He also co-authored and article with Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer of BASF on the role of batteries in global energy transition. The article, Three ways batteries could power change in the world, was published to inform the WEF Sustainable Development Impact Summit, which took place in New York from 23-24 September. Mr Sobotka participated in a panel discussion around the Global Battery Alliance Pledge for Action.