Blockchain solutions could lead to ethical use of cobalt in batteries

Blockchain technology is being harnessed to address and explore issues surrounding sustainability for powertrain solutions. One of the largest areas of concern, particularly for electrification, is the use of cobalt in batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). Around 60% of the world’s cobalt supply is sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation of huge political and ethical instability. As Sabrin Chowdhury, Commodities Analyst at BMI Research, explained of cobalt mining, “An ethical pitfall is the ongoing use of child labour in the sourcing of cobalt, as most reserves are found within the DRC, where illegal mining is rampant, and origins of supply chains are hard to verify.”