Global cooperation essential to cut carbon emissions in lithium-ion battery supply chain

Carbon emissions from the lithium-ion battery supply chain could be cut by a third by 2060, but only by combining cross-regional cooperation with regionally tailored circular economy policies, a study in Nature has concluded.

Lithium-ion batteries are a crucial decarbonisation tool that enables renewable energy integration and cutting fossil fuel reliance. However, their production process – from mining and refining to cathode synthesis – generates significant carbon emissions that could outweigh their in-use benefits.