The Clean Energy Council white paper Addressing Modern Slavery in the Clean Energy Sector warns that rapid renewable energy expansion is linked to modern slavery risks in global supply chains. Solar poses the highest risks, with 40–45% of the world’s polysilicon coming from Xinjiang, where forced labor allegations persist . Wind supply chains face risks from balsa wood logging in the Amazon and copper mining tied to worker exploitation . Lithium-ion battery production also relies heavily on cobalt from the DRC, where child and forced labor are widespread . The paper urges industry, government, investors, and consumers to act jointly through due diligence, certification, remediation frameworks, and collaboration to ensure the clean energy transition is also a just transition.

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