Natural Resource Governance Institute’s Post

ℹ️ As the article highlights, it is crucial to implement a comprehensive plan to ensure justice and equity in the energy transition, particularly within the mining sector.

Last week the UN dropped the line-up for a newly-established Critical Minerals Panel. Consisting of 24 countries and other stakeholders across the mineral value chain, the panel will address issues relating to equity, transparency, investment, sustainability and human rights. The group will aim to ‘develop a set of global common and voluntary principles to safeguard environmental and social standards and embed justice in the energy transition’. Whilst it represents a positive step towards addressing the impact of mining transition minerals, there remain gaps in the approach that need to be addressed: 1. A lack of civil society representation The panel is heavy on government representation, but light on Civil Society Organisation(CSO) involvement. While the inclusion of CAN International means some civil society organisations will be able to feed in, wider civil society in the regions most affected by mining is not fairly represented. ➡️Civil society and indigenous voices should be central to decision-making to ensure a just-energy transition. 2. ‘Voluntary principles’ risk adding to confusion around standards With multiple other global initiatives on standards in the pipeline, a ‘voluntary’ code risks getting lost in the noise. The UN has had a number of opportunities in recent years to start setting guidelines for responsible mining in its agreements on climate and environment. ➡️To really make these new measures stand out, they should encompass some binding agreements from the panel on shared standards. 3. There are clear conflicts of interest The panel will be jointly chaired by Ambassador Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa and Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul Jørgensen of the European Commission. The European Commission has been tasked with guiding the EU towards carbon neutrality, but also reducing dependence on China, and onshoring as many jobs as possible from the value chain of mining, processing, recycling and manufacturing. ➡️Given that one of the stated aims of the panel is to foster resource justice for developing nations, the EC might find it’s aims competing with the interests of China and other global South countries. https://lnkd.in/ecSM26Md

The outcome of #UNEA6 did not sufficiently address the environmental and social risks of mineral mining in the low-carbon transition. Jan Morrill, EARTHWORKS' Tailings Campaign Manager, Yblin Roman Escobar, SIRGE's Facilitator, Jodi-Ann Wang, and Gyubin Hwang share key points of discussion and prospects for a just transition in this article via Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change & the Environment. 🌱 🌍 #SIRGECoalition #JustTransition #IndigenousRights #IndigenousPeoples #Environment #EnvironmentalJustice #ClimateJustice #HumanRights #TransitionMinerals #Mining #MiningImpacts

The sixth UN Environment Assembly (#UNEA6) concluded with the adoption a resolution which aims to prevent environmental damage when extracting minerals from the earth, many of which are vital for the energy transition. But politics and procedural roadblocks led to the final text being watered-down: ❌ Member States blocked action to improve environmental sustainability ❌ Countries dodged responsibility for environmental harms ❌ Overconsumption was on the agenda, but there were no plans to tackle it The UN and its Member States must be much bolder in their ambition to achieve a just #EnergyTransition and demand a more responsible mining industry. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eAcax5rb

The Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) aimed to address the #EnergyTransition, the accelerating global demand for #TranstionMinerals and metals needed to low-carbon technology manufacturing, and the increasing current and potential environmental and social risks and harms associated with mining. However, the session required severe attention from Member States to address these issues. #CulturalSurvival consultant Yblin Roman Escobar (Kolla descent) and other #IndigenousDefenders were there to advocate for #IndigenousRights. #SIRGECoalition #ClimateJustice https://lnkd.in/evVYTj5v

#UNEA6 was an opportunity for the UN and Member States to demand more from a mining industry set to profit from the rush for minerals critical to the #energytransition. But a watered-down resolution aimed at reducing environmental damage when extracting minerals, meant it actually achieved very little. Read our key takeaways here ⬇

A UN-led panel is developing guidelines to manage environmental, social and human rights risks inherent in the ‘race to net zero’. As the energy revolution gains momentum, it's crucial that we manage its impact on society, especially its most vulnerable members. Comprehensive social and human rights assessments are key to achieving this, but they require time, investment, and commitment. This initiative highlights the importance of responsible mining practices, and I'm eager to see the outcomes of this process. #SocialResponsibility #HumanRights #CriticalMinerals #Sustainability #EthicalMining #UNPanel #SIA #ImpactAssessment Source: https://lnkd.in/gt6rGk_U.

Mining critical minerals in many parts of the world is not only dangerous for the workers, it is also very polluting to the environment. More regulations must be created to solve some of these issues. Learn more in Inside Climate News's article. https://lnkd.in/ee5hkTrz

Cross-border collaboration will be key to achieving the energy transition. In our latest blog, Bernice Lee OBE, Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow for Sustainability, Chatham House, argues for cooperative frameworks to de-risk critical mineral supply chains 🤝 Read more: https://ow.ly/ez6050QWTCV UpLink has partnered with Prospect Innovation to support start-ups, innovators and researchers helping the mining and metals sector's transformation and to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ⛏️ Learn more about the partnership: https://ow.ly/uXoJ50QWTS8 #sustainablemining #energytransition #cleanenergy #minerals #climategoals #climatechange #energytransition #sustainability #collaboration

The global energy transition shouldn't come at the expense of the ocean and its biodiversity. Nor should it contribute to widening inequalities by threatening the livelihoods of millions of vulnerable communities in small Pacific islands and other coastal regions that could be affected by deep-sea mining. Some preliminary tests carried out 14 years ago have shown that it is difficult for these ecosystems to recover after deep sea mining.  There is urgent need to accelerate #energyefficiency #energyreduction and #circulareconomy in the battery industry. In developing regulations for deep-sea mining, the ISA and other stakeholders have a rare opportunity to take a breath before taking the plunge. Rather than extracting resources first and addressing the consequences later, this is a chance to step back and consider the environmental and social implications of deep-sea mining before any activity gets underway. Any decision made should be rooted in evidence robust enough to ensure that no serious harm is done to people, nature or the climate (WRI 2024). #energytransition #ocean #deepseamining #CRM