Security Council<\/a> is asking a fundamental question:<\/p>\nCan the minerals powering the green transition also become a foundation for peace and sustainable development?<\/p>\n
Five questions<\/p>\n
\u00a9 Adobe Stock\/Unlimit3d
\n Lithium-ion batteries are produced at a factory.<\/p>\n
Why now?<\/p>\n
Demand for critical minerals is growing exponentially as countries expand renewable energy and battery technologies.<\/p>\n
Why do they matter?<\/p>\n
Without them, the clean energy transition, to wean the world off climate-busting fossil fuels, cannot happen.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the concern?<\/p>\n
Poor governance can turn valuable natural resources into drivers of conflict, corruption and environmental degradation.<\/p>\n
What is the UN trying to achieve?<\/p>\n
Help ensure mineral wealth benefits communities rather than financing violence.<\/p>\n
What are critical minerals?<\/p>\n
Critical minerals are essential ingredients in many modern technologies, including:<\/p>\n
Electric vehicle batteriesWind turbinesSolar panelsElectricity gridsSmartphones and electronics<\/p>\n
Without them, many clean energy technologies simply would not exist.<\/p>\n
Where are they found?<\/p>\n
Large deposits exist across Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia.<\/p>\n
For many producing countries, they represent an enormous opportunity to create jobs, diversify economies and generate public revenue.<\/p>\n
But success depends on how these resources are managed.<\/p>\n
Why is demand growing so quickly?<\/p>\n
The global energy transition is accelerating.<\/p>\n
Electric vehicles require around six times more mineral inputs than conventional cars.Offshore wind facilities require around 13 times more mineral resources than gas-fired power plants.Demand for many critical minerals is expected to triple by 2030.<\/p>\n
Many analysts now compare their strategic importance to oil during the twentieth century.<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t mining bad for the environment?<\/p>\n
Mining is essential, but it also comes with significant environmental costs if poorly managed.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 ILO
\n A man processes cobalt at a mine in the DR Congo.<\/p>\n
Poorly regulated mining can contribute to:<\/p>\n
DeforestationWater pollutionBiodiversity lossSoil degradationGreenhouse gas emissions<\/p>\n
Many deposits are also located close to Indigenous communities and environmentally sensitive ecosystems.<\/p>\n
The challenge is not whether to mine, it is how to mine responsibly.<\/p>\n
Why is the Security Council discussing this?<\/p>\n
Natural resources have long played a role in conflict.<\/p>\n
The Council is examining concerns that:<\/p>\n
Armed groups control valuable mineral deposits.Illegal mining finances conflict.Criminal networks profit from smuggling.Weak governance fuels instability.<\/p>\n
The broader question is whether growing global demand for critical minerals could increase geopolitical tensions \u2013 or instead become a driver of peace and development.<\/p>\n
Key UN take<\/p>\n
\u201cA world powered by renewables is a world hungry for critical minerals.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The story in 60 seconds Every electric vehicle, wind turbine, solar panel, smart phone; they all depend on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":818231,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[49,48,295,66],"class_list":["post-818230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-environment","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=818230"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818230\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/818231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=818230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=818230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=818230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}