Renewable Energy Still Comes at the Cost of Forced Labor. It Needs to Be Stopped. – ChinaFile

Report on China’s Polysilicon Sector: A Conflict Between Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

An analysis of China’s polysilicon industry reveals a significant conflict between the advancement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and the violation of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). While China’s dominance in solar panel production is critical for global climate action (SDG 13), the industry’s deep ties to forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) undermine fundamental human rights and principles of sustainable development. This report outlines the industry’s challenges, its human rights implications, and provides recommendations for stakeholders to foster a just and equitable energy transition in line with the SDGs.

SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): Production Dominance and Market Instability

China’s strategic subsidization of its polysilicon sector has established its global leadership, a key factor in making solar power more accessible worldwide. However, this has led to significant market challenges:

• Oversupply Crisis: The industry currently faces a massive oversupply, resulting in intense domestic competition and price instability.
• Industry Consolidation Efforts: In response, leading Chinese producers have proposed a U.S. $7 billion fund to manage overcapacity by acquiring excess production and phasing out less competitive firms. This action aims to stabilize the market but raises concerns about cartel-like behavior.

These market dynamics directly impact the global supply chain for renewable energy, influencing the pace and affordability of the transition envisioned in SDG 7.

Violations of SDG 8 (Decent Work) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

The polysilicon industry’s growth is inextricably linked to severe human rights violations in the XUAR, directly contravening core tenets of the SDGs.

1. Forced Labor in Supply Chains: A significant portion of the world’s solar-grade polysilicon (approx. 25%) and metallurgical-grade silicon (approx. 53%) originates from the XUAR. Production in this region is widely reported to involve state-imposed forced labor targeting the Uyghur population, a direct violation of SDG 8.7, which calls for the eradication of forced labor.
2. Systemic Human Rights Abuses: The Uyghur people have been subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, cultural persecution, and family separations. These actions represent a profound failure to uphold SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
3. Persistent Coercion: Despite international measures, evidence from 2023 and 2024 indicates that Chinese authorities intend to maintain or increase the number of people in coercive work assignments, including within the solar sector.

Global Response and the Pursuit of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

The international community has begun to address these violations, seeking to strengthen institutional frameworks for justice and accountability.

• Legislative Actions: Governments have implemented measures such as the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) to restrict imports. The European Union’s proposed Forced Labour Ban and Critical Raw Materials Act are further steps toward diversifying supply chains and ensuring production aligns with human rights and environmental standards.
• International Commitments: China ratified two International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions banning forced labor in 2022. Its compliance and reporting to the ILO in 2026 will be a critical test of this commitment.
• Call for UN Action: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is urged to update the Human Rights Council on its 2022 report, which found that abuses in the XUAR may constitute crimes against humanity.

Recommendations for an Integrated SDG-Aligned Approach

Achieving a just energy transition requires a multi-stakeholder commitment that balances climate goals with human rights. The following actions are recommended:

For Corporations and Industry (SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production)

• Cease the use of forced labor, provide living wages to all workers, and offer reparations to victims.
• Commit to fully transparent and traceable supply chains, allowing for unfettered access by independent human rights investigators.

For Governments (SDG 16 & SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals)

• Adopt and enforce robust legislation prohibiting the import of any goods produced with forced labor.
• Invest in developing domestic, rights-respecting renewable energy supply chains to reduce dependency on unethical sources.
• Mandate the repurposing and reuse of solar panels to promote a circular economy, in line with SDG 12.

For Civil Society and Consumers (SDG 12 & SDG 17)

• Media and advocacy groups must consistently highlight the human rights violations within the solar industry.
• Consumers should exercise their purchasing power by supporting companies committed to ethical, rights-respecting production.

Conclusion: A Just Transition for SDG 13 (Climate Action)

The urgency of the climate crisis cannot justify overlooking gross human rights abuses. The global pursuit of SDG 13 must not come at the cost of SDG 8, SDG 10, and SDG 16. A truly sustainable future requires a fast, fair, and just energy transition. Governments, corporations, and international bodies must work in partnership (SDG 17) to dismantle the systems of forced labor in China’s renewable energy sector and ensure that the shift to clean energy uplifts human dignity for all.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – The article’s central theme is the solar power industry, specifically the production of polysilicon, a critical component for solar panels, which is fundamental to achieving clean energy goals.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article extensively discusses the widespread use of forced labor and human rights abuses in the polysilicon industry in China’s Xinjiang region, directly contradicting the principles of decent work.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The article addresses issues of massive oversupply in the polysilicon market, the need for transparent and traceable supply chains, and the call to “repurpose and reuse solar panels at the end of their lives,” all of which are core components of responsible production and consumption patterns.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – The entire context of the article is framed by the global effort to mitigate the climate crisis. It states, “Solar power is critical for reducing emissions and mitigating the climate crisis,” linking the solar industry directly to climate action.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The article highlights the failure of institutions and the rule of law, citing how the Chinese government ignores its own laws against forced labor. It also discusses international legal and institutional responses, such as the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), ILO conventions, and the role of the UN Human Rights Council.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article focuses on the production of polysilicon for solar panels, which is essential for increasing the share of solar power, a key renewable energy source. It notes China’s dominant role in this sector, which is critical for the global energy transition.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  • Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour. This is the most directly relevant target, as the article’s primary focus is on the “widespread human rights violations, including forced labor” in the polysilicon industry in Xinjiang. It details how Uyghurs are subjected to “state-imposed forced labor” and “coercive work assignments.”
  • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers. The conditions described, including “torture, family separations, and cultural and religious persecution,” are the antithesis of a safe and secure working environment. The call for companies to “pay a living wage to workers” also aligns with this target.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The article points to a “massive oversupply” and the formation of a cartel to “manage the sector’s overcapacity woes,” indicating inefficient resource management. The suggestion to “repurpose and reuse solar panels at the end of their lives” also directly addresses this target.
  • Target 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle. The demand for polysilicon producers to “commit to making their supply chains fully traceable and transparent” is a direct call for this type of corporate accountability and sustainable practice.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article acknowledges that China “has poured significant resources into creating the world’s biggest renewable energy sector” as part of its strategy. However, it argues that these climate measures must not come “at the cost of the rights of Uyghurs,” highlighting the need for a “just energy transition.”

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The article notes that the Chinese government has domestic laws against forced labor but has “ignored [them] in Xinjiang.” It also discusses international laws like the U.S. UFLPA and the EU’s Forced Labour Ban, which are attempts to enforce the rule of law across borders.
  • Target 16.b: Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development. The repression targeting the Uyghur population, who are described as a minority group being subjected to “cultural and religious persecution,” is a clear violation of non-discriminatory principles.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 8.7 (Eradicate forced labour)

  • Implied Indicator: Prevalence of forced labor in the solar supply chain. The article cites reports from Sheffield Hallam University and other research that provide “evidence that polysilicon producers across the XUAR have continued to use state-imposed forced labor.” Measuring the reduction or elimination of this practice is a key indicator.
  • Mentioned Indicator: Compliance with international reporting requirements. The article suggests a future measurement point: “Governments should watch carefully to see whether and to what extent Chinese authorities comply with requirements to report on forced labor to the International Labour Organization in 2026.”

• For Target 7.2 (Increase share of renewable energy)

  • Mentioned Indicator: Percentage of global production of key renewable energy components. The article states that “About 25 percent of the solar-grade polysilicon… used worldwide come from… Xinjiang,” which serves as an indicator of the region’s contribution to the global renewable energy supply chain.

• For Target 12.6 (Adopt sustainable practices)

  • Implied Indicator: Degree of supply chain transparency and traceability. The article calls for supply chains to be “fully traceable and transparent” and for “independent international human rights investigators be given unfettered access.” The level of access and transparency can be used as an indicator of progress.

• For Target 16.3 (Promote the rule of law)

  • Mentioned Indicator: Adoption and implementation of laws prohibiting the import of goods made with forced labor. The article mentions specific legal instruments like the “United States’ 2021 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)” and the “European Union’s Forced Labour Ban” as tangible measures whose implementation and effectiveness can be tracked.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: chinafile.com