“This book is an economic thriller over long distances,” emphasizes Uwe Ritzer in the first sentence. And the science journalist keeps what he promises. As already revealed in the title, it is about (completely legal, but very questionable) shops with the general property of water, to overuse and (legally not contestable) speculations with the general property soil and (highly criminal) machinations to obtain raw materials from Africa or Latin America that demand e-cars, renewable energies and our worrying consumption. Climate change is the backdrop of the action.
The author names billionaires and large corporations that deserve it and he takes us to the east of Germany, Switzerland, the Congo or the highlands of Peru. It shows how uninhibited mining workers and nature are exploited to get rare earths, copper, cobalt and all the other metals. Corruption and bribery are the accompanying music. And all of this on our doorstep: because two thirds of the global raw material trade run over Switzerland.
A highly exciting non -fiction book that is well written from the first to the last page and must be recommended to all of them who want to abolish the supply chain law. But it not only puts your finger in the wounds, but also names “what needs to be done”. Horst Hamm
Uwe Ritzer
The sale: water, floor, raw materials. Whoever makes our resources profits and what we can do about it
Penguin Verlag, 288 pages, € 23, –
ISBN 978-3-328-60406-8
