Harnessing Critical Energy Transition Minerals for Sustainable Development

Critical energy transition minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components in many of today’s rapidly growing clean energy technologies – from wind turbines and solar panels to electric vehicles and battery storage. 

Demand for transition minerals is set to grow by three and a half times by 2030 as the world transitions from fossil fuels to renewable energy in order to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050. Without proper management, the increasing demand for transition minerals risks perpetuating commodity dependence, exacerbating geopolitical tensions and environmental and social challenges, including impacts on livelihoods, the environment, health, human security and human rights, and can undermine efforts towards the energy transition. As extraction of transition minerals accelerates to match the needs of the energy transition, it is crucial to ensure that the countries and local communities endowed with these resources reap the benefits and manage/minimize impacts. 

The Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals was launched by the United Nations Secretary-General in April 2024 to develop a set of global and common voluntary principles on issues which are key to building trust between governments, communities and industry, enhancing transparency and investment, and ensuring just and equitable management of sustainable, responsible and reliable value chains for transition minerals. The panel released its report entitled "Resourcing the Energy Transition: Principles to guide critical energy transition minerals toward equity and justice" on 11 September 2024. The Secretary-General asked the UN system to support the implementation of the principles and actionable recommendations proposed in the report.