While China is globally recognized as a clean energy powerhouse, the social and environmental impact of this transformation in Tibet is deeply questionable. The strategic expansion of critical mineral mining, such as lithium extraction in ecologically sensitive regions, raises concerns about environmental sustainability and community engagement. As China pursues energy security through a green energy transition, Tibet has emerged as a site for extractive mining and an unsustainable spree of dam building.
When we talk about the global shift toward clean and green energy, China often stands out. In 2024 alone, China installed more solar panels and wind turbines than all other nations combined. It also dominates the manufacturing and processing of electric vehicles, a key sector in achieving climate goals. The country leads the world in producing critical minerals like lithium and copper, which are essential components of renewable energy technologies.
Some of the world’s largest hydropower projects are currently being built on Tibet’s rivers, which are directly tied to China’s green and clean energy transition. The most prominent among these is the mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which is projected to become the largest hydropower station globally.
But beneath this impressive progress lies a deeper story, one that demands closer scrutiny.
To truly understand the green energy transition, we must look beyond the final products and examine how the raw materials are sourced. Are the mining and processing methods environmentally sustainable? Do they undergo proper Environmental Impact Assessments? And most importantly, are the voices of local communities, especially those directly affected, being heard?
Tibet, a region rich in natural resources including rare earth metals and critical minerals, has become a focal point in China’s resource strategy. In a 2023 report titled “Tibet: A New Frontline of the ‘White Gold Rush’ in the Global Race for Renewable Energy,” Gabriel Lafitte underscored Tibet’s growing importance as a source of raw materials for China’s clean energy industry. The report also highlighted how leading manufacturers, including Tesla and BYD, increasingly rely on lithium extracted from Tibet to meet global battery production demands.
Over the past decade, China has intensified exploration across Tibetan regions, leading to major discoveries. In Nyagchu County, part of the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, nearly one tonne of lithium was discovered. A 2,800 km-long spodumene belt with an estimated 6.5 million tonnes of lithium ore was also uncovered, boosting China’s global lithium reserves from 6 percent to 16.5 percent. These discoveries have strengthened China’s position in the battery production and electric vehicle manufacturing sectors.
On September 28, 2025, two major lithium projects began operations in Nagormo, Tsonub Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. One facility is designed to produce 40,000 tonnes of lithium salt annually, while the other yields 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year. China Salt Lake Industry Group Co., Ltd, operates both.
Salt lakes in Tibet, rich in lithium brine, are also being tapped to secure China’s lithium supply chain. Zangge Mining, operating the Mami Tso Salt Lake project in Ngari, Tibet, is expected to produce 50,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium and 17,000 tonnes of borax annually. Like the Qarhan Salt Lake operation, which earned 491 million yuan ($68.4 million) in net profit, Mami Tso is set to further secure China’s lithium supply and boost profitability.
These developments are not just about resource extraction; they are key to securing China’s geopolitical dominance in the green energy race.
Copper, another vital mineral for renewable energy, is also being aggressively mined. The Julong Copper Mine in Tibet is undergoing a massive expansion. Phase 2 aims to increase daily ore processing from 150,000 to 350,000 tonnes, with a projected investment of 17.46 billion yuan. Once completed, it will become China’s largest standalone copper mine. A Phase 3 expansion is already being planned, which could make it the largest in the world. Operating at altitudes of 5,000 meters, these mines face extreme environmental challenges, freezing temperatures, low oxygen levels, and fragile ecosystems.
The Yulong Mine, located in Jomda (Ch: Jiangda) County, Chamdo (Ch: Qamdo) Prefecture, is also being expanded to increase its annual capacity to 30 million metric tonnes. This mine is also located at an altitude above 4,500 meters.
China’s intention to intensify copper mining in Tibet is further evident in the Lhasa region, which hosts significant copper deposits. Sites such as Qulong, Rongmucuola, and Zhibula located near Medrogungkar County are part of a cluster of copper polymetallic discoveries. These developments signal China’s strategic move to transform Lhasa into a major mining hub, strengthening the region’s role in securing critical raw materials.
However, this rapid industrialization has sparked resistance. Anti-mining protests have occurred, and environmental concerns have been raised. Instead of addressing issues like soil erosion and threats to local communities, authorities have tightened surveillance and censored online discussion.
One recent example is that of Tsongon Tsering, who was detained in October 2024 for exposing ecological damage caused by mining. His arrest highlights the suppression faced by Tibetans who speak out against environmental degradation. This case is not isolated, and it does not only concern environmental issues. Rather, Tsering’s arrest reflects a broader pattern of environmental harm coupled with human rights violations.
In addition to mining projects, China has approved the construction of the world’s largest hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, projected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours annually, three times the output of the Three Gorges Dam. Framed as part of China’s green energy transition, this mega-dam is in a seismically active zone, raising serious concerns about earthquake and landslide risks, especially as the region has recorded over 800 seismic events of magnitude 3.0 or higher. This area is also one of the most biodiverse regions of Tibet.
While China’s green energy transition is celebrated globally, its implementation in Tibet raises serious ethical and ecological questions. Major scientific reports have indicated that Tibet is warming at more than twice the global average, making it one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has highlighted that climate change impacts such as glacier retreat, water scarcity, and ecosystem disruption are intensifying across the plateau.
Tibet’s nicknames – the “Third Pole” and “Water tower of Asia” – underscore the significance of its geography and environment. Yet, under the banner of green energy, China continues to extract mineral resources from Tibet at an accelerating pace. This so-called green transition is deeply tied to resource exploitation, often at the expense of Tibet’s fragile environment and the rights of its people.
If the world is to move toward a truly sustainable future, green energy must not come at the cost of environmental destruction or silencing of indigenous voices. A real transition must uphold environmental protection, ensure meaningful community engagement, and safeguard human rights. Most significantly, Tibetan people should be the stewards of their homeland’s ecology and sustainable development.
The international community cannot afford to let China position itself as a leader in the global green energy transition. It must be mindful of the fact that China’s green energy transition is heavily dependent on the extraction of Tibet’s resources and the large-scale damming of Tibet’s rivers, all while Beijing steamrolls calls for the rights of the Tibetan people.
