(The Cost of Cobalt)

Content: In the cobalt mining areas of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), babies are being born with horrific birth defects. Scientists and doctors are finding increasing evidence of environmental pollution from industrial mining which, they believe, may be the cause of a range of malformations from cleft palate to some so serious the baby is stillborn. More than 60% of the world’s reserves of cobalt are in the DRC and this mineral is essential for the production of electric car batteries, which may be the key to reducing carbon emissions and to slowing climate change. In The Cost of Cobalt we meet the doctors treating the children affected and the scientists who are measuring the pollution. Cobalt may be part of the global solution to climate change, but is it right that Congo’s next generation pay the price with their health? Many are hoping that the more the world understands their plight, the more pressure will be put on the industry here to clean up its act.

Countries:

United Kingdom

Genres:

Documentary

Runtime:

25 minutes

Year:

2021

Directors:

Fiona Lloyd-Davies

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Production companies:

Studio 9 Films,

Al Jazeera Documentary Channel

Actors:

Herself

Himself

Himself

Herself

Himself

Crews:

Director

Director

Executive Producer

Cinematography

Editorial Staff