Final answer:
The downside of manufacturing Electric Vehicles (EVs) includes the negative environmental impact of mining the necessary minerals needed for EV batteries and concerns about abusive child labor practices and lack of worker protections in the Republic of Congo, where cobalt is mainly produced for EV batteries. Option D is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is d. both a and c.
The downside of manufacturing Electric Vehicles (EVs) includes both the negative environmental impact of mining the necessary minerals needed for EV batteries (cobalt and lithium) and concerns about abusive child labor practices and lack of worker protections in the Republic of Congo, where cobalt is mainly produced for EV batteries.
The downside of manufacturing Electric Vehicles (EVs) includes both the negative environmental impact of mining the necessary minerals, such as cobalt and lithium, for EV batteries and the concerns over abusive labor practices and a lack of worker protections in regions where these minerals are primarily sourced.
Cobalt mining, especially in the Republic of Congo, has been associated with unfavorable labor conditions including child labor and health risks due to the toxic effects of the minerals involved.
These issues represent significant ethical and environmental challenges that accompany the production of EVs, despite their potential benefits in reducing fossil fuel dependency and emissions.