The Governance Of Strategic Minerals And Their Role In The Energy Transition: Challenges And Opportunities

Résumé: Background: Geopolitics have deeply influenced energy markets, emphasizing on the crucial need to find new trails to expand energy security, increase energy access and speed up the transition to renewable energy sources. “Transition minerals” are minerals that play an essential role in the transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy sources and transportation. These are also referred to “green minerals”, “energy transition minerals” (ETMs), “strategic minerals” or “critical minerals”. Mineral resources highly contribute to the energy transition, and we are currently witnessing a growing demand for transition minerals such as lithium, graphite, cobalt and nickel. This increasing demand generates the urge to enhance governance of mineral value chains, to guarantee that the production of strategic minerals is aligned with the purpose for which minerals are used in order to create lasting benefits for societies. Methods: The study draws on two sources of information and diverse perspectives on resource governance and the energy transition. First, a review of literature, including academic writing and specialist mining industry news sources, informed all sections of the paper. Second, the mapping of global trends in relation to transition mineral value chains draws on data extracted from publicly available databases of mineral reserves, production, trade statistics and governance indices. Research and Conclusions: This paper will bring answers to the following questions: 1- What are the challenges facing energy transition? 2- What are the opportunities to address these challenges to improve governance frameworks and transparency and attract investment in the extraction and beneficiation of transition minerals? 3- What are the measures that need to be taken by the relevant stakeholders to ensure a smooth energy transition?

Publié dans la revue: المجلة الشاملة للحقوق