The car in front is electric: Push for a greener world will lead to a new commodity cycle

Demand for EVs could spark minerals popularity

Environmental damage will present a significant obstacle to the development of both developed and emerging markets. The impact of climate change on basic necessities is set to cost governments and companies trillions of dollars.

Several emerging market populations are growing exponentially and the global demand for resources is so large that human expansion could be finally leading to Malthusian shortages. As a result, some experts claim the world is experiencing the start of a new commodity cycle as the need to de-carbonise over the next few decades drives demand for metals such as copper and nickel.   Mike Henry, the CEO of BHP, recently said: "The world has begun to be pragmatic - to achieve our climate goals and de-carbonisation, we need extractive industries to deliver the metals required in wind turbine...