Jump to navigation

Vol 64 No 22

Published 2nd November 2023


China, Europe and the US mull tariff war amid scramble for Africa's green minerals

Corporate rivalries and geopolitical tensions disrupt markets for electric vehicles | Special Report by Tim Concannon

Expectations for the UN COP28 Climate summit in Dubai next month are muted because their host is a leading fossil fuel economy and because of rising geopolitical tensions.

This year's United States Inflation Reduction Act by President Joe Biden's administration includes hundreds of billions of dollars of green financing in a law to protect US jobs and companies.

Now European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans a similar measure to protect European manufacturers of electric vehicles from what she thinks is susbsidised competition from China. 

Our climate editor, Tim Concannon looks at the implications of these rivalries for African economies which supply many of the critical green minerals. 

For a detailed analysis of these shifts, read our Special Report here: China, Europe and the US mull tariff war amid scramble for Africa's green minerals



Related Articles

Warming up in Cape Town

African governments are teaming up with Asia and Latin America to press rich countries for a legally binding pact on carbon emissions

In a challenge to the rich economies of the West, South Africa, Brazil, China and India are calling for a legally binding global agreement to limit climate change. Their new block,...


Bonn talks deadlock on finance

Despite hopes of progress on climate finance for Africa at recent UN negotiations, an impasse emerged at the interim SB60 meeting held in Bonn from 3 to 13 June. Critical issues fo...


Calls grow to regulate ballooning carbon credits

President William Ruto holds up carbon trading as his country’s next big export but climate activists want much tighter controls

By elevating carbon credits to the top of the climate finance agenda President William Ruto has made Kenya a key player on environment policy in Africa. He has won public backing f...


Key points from Copenhagen

At the United Nations’ climate change summit in Copenhagen in December 2009, African governments won a victory by stopping attempts by the West to kill off the Kyoto Protocol, agre...