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Green Ambitions, Dark Shadows — When Clean Energy Comes at a Human Cost

China’s Renewable Push in Tibet Raises Alarms Over Environment and Human Rights.                                                                                                                            

China’s aggressive drive to harness Tibet’s renewable energy potential — spanning hydropower, lithium mining, and solar projects — is sparking growing global concern over environmental degradation and human rights violations. Recent reports reveal that massive dam construction on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, including what could become the world’s largest hydro project, threatens the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and downstream water security for nations like India and Bangladesh. Tibet’s vast reserves of lithium, copper, and rare earth minerals are fueling China’s clean energy boom but causing heavy metal pollution, loss of traditional livelihoods, and forced displacement of locals. Meanwhile, Tibet’s pristine plateau is rapidly transforming into a hub for solar and wind megaprojects, intensifying ecological risks. Critics argue that Beijing’s pursuit of “green growth” in Tibet exposes a moral contradiction — achieving sustainability by undermining the environment and silencing dissent, as seen in the detention of activists like Tsongon Tsering.