Unearthing the cost: Rare earth mining in Myanmar's war-torn regions

ISP-Myanmar highlights the critical need to recognize and address the links between man-made environmental degradation and the climate–conflict nexus within the Myanmar context. The extraction of rare earth minerals in Myanmar has surged dramatically in recent years, emerging as a critical factor driving environmental degradation, social harm, and geopolitical tension. Rare earth resources, essential to the global supply chains required for the green energy transition, have become a focal point for exploitation, particularly in conflict affected regions. The environmental impacts of rare earth mining—exacerbated by weak regulation and oversight—are devastating local ecosystems and communities.