No end to cobalt demand, despite child labor ties

Global dependence on cobalt is rising, even as tech giants from Apple to Tesla pledge to rid their batteries of the stuff given its ties to child labor.

Why it matters: Cobalt is used for EVs, battery backups, cellphones — a range of consumer products we all use. The insatiable demand for these products — plus the lack of a ready replacement for cobalt — has entirely outstripped efforts to do something about the human rights concerns.