{
  "id": 3596196,
  "title": "Development banks are backing problematic mineral projects, report finds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/development-banks-are-backing-problematic-mineral-projects-report",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-26T21:11:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/development-banks-are-backing-problematic-mineral-projects-report-finds/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Development banks are financing problematic mineral projects, according to a recent report by the International Accountability Project (IAP). The organization examined 77 projects globally, approved between 2023 and 2025, and found that more than half of them, and nearly three-quarters of those in Africa, pose risks to local communities. IAP program coordinator Vaishnavi Varadarajan spoke to Mongabay about the issue, highlighting that some multinational mining corporations with poor human rights records are still receiving loans from development banks. This raises questions about the level of due diligence these banks conduct before granting such loans. As countries increasingly invest in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the demand for minerals and rare earth elements has grown. These resources are often located in the Global South and shipped to the Global North for processing, which Varadarajan argues perpetuates an unfair transition. The report criticizes this approach, suggesting that while some countries benefit economically from extraction, the countries where the raw materials are found face environmental harm, such as water depletion and contamination.",
  "summary": "“Development bank-backed transition minerals projects are frequently associated with significant environmental, social, and human rights risks.” This is the conclusion of the latest report by the International Accountability Project (IAP), an international advocacy organization. IAP analyzed 77 projects globally, approved between 2023 and 2025. The analysis resulted in the Transition Minerals…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}