Manuel Pastor, Chris Benner and Emiliano Rodriguez Nuesch – The Rockefeller Foundation
In April 2023, Professors Manuel Pastor and Chris Benner gathered at the Bellagio Center to work on their upcoming book, Charging Forward: Lithium Valley, Electric Vehicles, and a Just Future, which explores the environmental and social justice implications of lithium mining in California’s Salton Sea. Joined by award-winning filmmaker Emiliano Rodriguez Nuesch, their discussions expanded to include the global perspective of lithium extraction, comparing California to South America’s Lithium Triangle.
Their work highlights the promise of lithium for renewable energy while raising critical questions about labor exploitation, environmental health, and economic justice. A documentary based on these discussions will accompany the release of Charging Forward in October 2024.
This article was featured in the September 2024 edition of the Bellagio Bulletin.