Mining's struggle to attract a new generation amid environmental concerns

The Canadian mining industry faces a talent crisis, with its image of 'dirty' work deterring potential recruits despite the growing demand for critical minerals.

Francesca Fionda reports for The Narwhal.

In short:

Fewer students are enrolling in mining and geology programs, creating a workforce shortage for an industry crucial to a low-carbon economy.
The industry's reputation for being environmentally damaging and physically demanding is turning young people away, despite efforts to improve safety and sustainability.
Educational initiatives and outreach aim to change perceptions, emphasizing mining's role in the green energy transition and the diverse, high-tech careers it offers.

Key quote:

"The industry really is a safe sector. It is doing a ton of work in the area of sustainability and in the area of responsible mining."

— Ryan Montpellier, executive director at the Mining Industry Human Resources Council

Why this matters:

Younger generations are increasingly concerned about environmental issues. They often perceive careers in mining and geology as contrary to their values focused on sustainability and environmental protection, despite the sector's crucial role in the green transition.

In the past few years, youth claimed more space in the climate change conversation. However, their participation in academic circles is still lacking.

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Credit: Pierre Lemos / Unsplash+

Toxic chemicals and climate change work together to harm fertility across species

In a recent review published in NPJ Emerging Contaminants, researchers examine how toxic chemicals can reduce fertility in both humans and wildlife, and how these effects are worsened by climate change.

In short:

Animals - including insects, fish, reptiles, birds, humans, and other mammals - are constantly simultaneously exposed to synthetic chemicals and the impacts of climate change, including rising temperatures.
Both of these stressors can harm fertility, and many of the impacts found are similar across species, such as effects on sperm and eggs.
The stress caused by these exposures also impacts overall health, harming animals’ ability to adapt to a changing environment and worsening global biodiversity loss.

Key quote:

“To build a sustainable future, we must recognize that chemicals, once released, don’t simply disappear. Instead, they contribute to the larger issue of driving humanity towards the exceedance of planetary boundaries when considered in combination with climate change and other planetary-level impacts.”

Why this matters:

While climate change and toxic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are both individually well-established as health threats, few studies have examined the implications of the widespread simultaneous exposure experienced by humans and wildlife. Many EDCs can also impact health across multiple generations, meaning their harm continues long after the original exposure. To better tackle the issue of EDCs, the authors of this study emphasize the need for strong regulations that address chemicals by class, rather than individually.

Related EHN coverage:

Declining PFAS levels in seabird eggs reflect impact of regulatory action
Op-ed: A stalled global plastic treaty threatens our future fertility (written by two of the lead authors of the above study)

More resources:

ChemTrust: Wildlife and the environment – Endocrine disruptors
Stockholm Resilience Center: Planetary Boundaries: The safe operating space for humanity

Brander, S. et al. (2026). Impacts of environmental stressors on fertility and fecundity across taxa, with implications for planetary health. NPJ Emerging Contaminants.

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Mining's struggle to attract a new generation amid environmental concerns

Toxic chemicals and climate change work together to harm fertility across species

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