Transport electrification is a key element of decarbonization strategies; thus, the design, production, manufacture, use, and disposal of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are taking center stage. The environmental, economic, and social consequences of the battery life cycle are high on political agendas, owing to exponential growth in metals extraction; the climate impacts of battery production; and uncertainties in battery end-of-life (EOL) safety, recyclability, and environmental consequences (1) [see figs. S1 to S3 in the supplementary materials]. The European Union (EU) has proposed a new Battery Regulation (2) that intends to ensure sustainability for batteries placed on the EU market (see the figure), developing a robust European battery industry and value chain. The Regulation is very much needed, but, as discussed below, it will have global implications, with perhaps some unintended consequences. If left unaddressed, the Regulation, at worst, could hamper climate change mitigation targets and fall short of its intentions to promote a circular economy and establish a socially acceptable raw material supply chain.

交通电气化是脱碳战略的关键要素；因此，锂离子电池 (LIB) 的设计、生产、制造、使用和处置正占据中心位置。由于金属提取的指数增长，电池生命周期的环境、经济和社会后果在政治议程上占据重要位置；电池生产对气候的影响；以及电池报废 (EOL) 安全性、可回收性和环境后果的不确定性 ( 1 ) [见图 补充材料中的S1至S3]。欧盟（EU）提出了新的电池法规（2) 旨在确保投放欧盟市场的电池的可持续性（见图），发展强大的欧洲电池产业和价值链。非常需要该法规，但如下所述，它将具有全球影响，可能会产生一些意想不到的后果。如果不加以解决，该法规在最坏的情况下可能会阻碍减缓气候变化的目标，并达不到其促进循环经济和建立社会可接受的原材料供应链的意图。