From Risk to Opportunity: Used EVs and Battery Circularity in the Global South (UTC 15:00)
Session Organizer : Francisco A. Parés Olguín
Institution : University of California, Davis
Location / Local Time : Davis, California / 8:00 AM PST
Abstract :
This session will showcase the short documentary Border Chocolate, which uncovers the complex journey of millions of used vehicles exported annually from the United States to Mexico. These flows sustain mobility and economic access in Mexico and other Global South regions, but they also present urgent industrial ecology questions.
On one side, if left unmanaged, the influx of hybrid and electric vehicles can become an environmental and health burden: end-of-life batteries contain valuable but hazardous materials, and their improper handling risks fires, toxic leaching, and exposure for vulnerable communities. On the other side, these same flows represent an opportunity for affordable transportation decarbonization, recovery of critical materials, and industrial development around a circular battery economy.
The documentary provides a grounded perspective on how circular economy aspirations intersect with informality, environmental justice, and uneven institutional capacity across borders. A moderated panel discussion will follow, highlighting strategies for battery reuse and recycling, pathways to build circular supply chains, and opportunities for integrated policy design and cross-regional cooperation.
Speakers:
Dr. Francisco A. Parés Olguín (UC Davis, Global South Center) — LATAM Perspectives on Used EV Imports and End-of-Life Battery policy
Dr. Alissa Kendall (UC Davis) — Industrial Ecology Expert on Batteries and Vehicles
Cyprian Sulwe (GIZ) — African Perspectives on Used EV Imports and End-of-Life Battery Policy & Practice
Session registration
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