Hidden Cost of the Green Transition: Rare Earth Mining in Myanmar and the Price Paid by People and the Environment

Photo Exhibition & Panel Discussion at the 5th International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies (ICBMS 5), Chiang Mai, Thailand on 14-16 August 2026 Mizzima invites conference participants and the public to explore the hidden human and environmental costs behind the global transition to clean energy. As global demand for rare earth and critical minerals continues to grow, communities and ecosystems in Chipwe and Panwa, Kachin State, Myanmar, are bearing consequences that remain largely unseen. At the 5th International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies (ICBMS 5) in Chiang Mai, Mizzima will present a three-day photo exhibition together with a special panel discussion examining the realities of rare earth extraction in conflict-affected northern Myanmar. Photo Exhibition Hidden Cost of the Green Transition The exhibition documents rare earth mining sites and extraction processes in Chipwe and Panwa, including deforestation, river pollution, the experiences of women working around mining sites, community hardship, and changes in local governance. Through photographs from the affected areas, the exhibition asks an important question: Who is paying the real price for the world’s transition to clean energy? 14–16 August 2026 8:30 am–4:30 pm 2nd Floor, UNISERV Building, Chiang Mai University, Thailand Panel Discussion Rare Earth Mining in Myanmar: Environmental Degradation, Gender-Based Exploitation, and Shifting Governance in Chipwe The panel will examine how rare earth extraction is reshaping the environment, livelihoods and everyday lives of ethnic communities in conflict-affected northern Myanmar. The discussion will focus on three interconnected dimensions: environmental degradation, gender-based exploitation, and changing governance in rare-earth-mining areas. The panel features: Zung Ting — Environmental impacts in the Chipwe region Cindy Aung — Women’s struggles at rare earth mining sites Seng Li — Governance changes in the Chipwe region since the end of 2024 16 August 2026 11:00 am–12:30 pm Section 69, Room 4 Mizzima welcomes conference participants, researchers, journalists, policymakers, environmental advocates, civil-society organizations and members of the public to visit the exhibition and join the discussion. The global transition to clean energy has a story that extends far beyond electric vehicles, batteries and new technologies. Come and discover the stories of the people, communities and environment behind the minerals powering that transition.