The mining of key metals such as cobalt for car batteries has been linked to appalling working conditions amounting to modern slavery in countries such as DRC where much of the world’s cobalt is sourced. Also, environmental damage is caused by lithium extraction in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. Responding to news that the Government will be investing £100m in Britishvolt's new 'gigafactory' in Northumberland to boost production of electric car batteries, Amnesty International said although the news is a leap forward for British industry, offering jobs and a very meaningful opportunity for the UK to decarbonise transport in the fight against climate change, it is absolutely crucial that the Government, Britishvolt, and its investors ensure there are diligence systems in place. They must be honest and transparent about the environmental and human rights Britishvolt faces in sourcing cobalt, lithium, nickel, copper and other battery metals. See