Since this is about protecting the planet, consider this:

The world is moving towards green energy; electric vehicles are one of those advances.

Electric vehicles need materials like nickel and copper for their batteries; richer resources take less energy to mine and develop.  If the ROF development is held up, the alternative is to get those needed materials elsewhere.

That alternative could be in another country, where environmental standards are lower, where the resources are lower grade and cause more polution to develop, and don't contribute to creating jobs and wealth in our own country.