Date of Award

Spring 6-13-2026

Document Type

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Degree Name

B.A. in Public Policy

Organizational Unit

Josef Korbel School of International Studies, Scrivner Institute for Public Policy

First Advisor

Stefan Chavez-Norgaard

Second Advisor

John Sebesta

Third Advisor

Kaitlyn Sims

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Electric vehicle supply chain ethics, EV battery emissions accountability, California clean energy policy, Critical mineral mining human rights, Upstream emissions regulation, Cobalt mining labor standards, Battery supply chain transparency, Greenwashing electric vehicles, Indigenous rights mining, CARB environmental policy

Abstract

California should adopt a phased supply chain accountability framework for electric vehicles sold in the state, combining the immediate implementation of a voluntary Fair Trade Decal program with the mandatory adoption of COFFEE (Corporate Operations Free From Environmental Evil) Standards based on CAFÉ standards, by 2035. This thesis identifies a critical gap in U.S. EV policy: current federal legislation regulates where batteries are sourced but not how cleanly or ethically they are produced. The consequences of this regulatory gap are severe, with emissions simply shifting further down the supply chain rather than being eliminated, child labor and indigenous displacement going entirely unaddressed, and consumers unknowingly contributing to significant environmental and social harm through the purchase of vehicles marketed as zero-emission. With the federal government actively dismantling EV protections and challenging California's regulatory authority, state-level action is both urgent and necessary.

Copyright Date

4-20-2026

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Mateo Mazariego-Halpern

Provenance

Received from Author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

25 pgs

File Size

709 KB

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