The Environmental Cost of Batteries and Critical Minerals (Teach This Topic)

This guide supports you in teaching the finished lesson about the environmental and social costs of batteries across their lifecycle. It helps learners aged 11 to 16 connect mineral supply chains with manufacturing, use, reuse and recycling. The emphasis is on accurate comparisons: batteries may support lower-emission systems, but their impacts depend on materials, energy, durability, responsible sourcing and end-of-life management.