Are you sure you want to print? Save the planet. Opt not to print.
United Nations Environment Programme
  • Overview
  • Schedule

This roundtable will be held on July 12th in Geneva, Switzerland. UNEP, in collaboration with the UN Trade and Development and Forum on Trade, Environment, and SDGs (TESS), aim to identify issues at the nexus of trade in critical minerals, climate action, and sustainable development and explore possible approaches and pathways for enhanced international cooperation.

This roundtable will bring together leading experts from international organizations and think tanks, governments, and stakeholder organisations to discuss issues at the nexus of trade in critical minerals, climate action, and sustainable development, and to explore possible approaches and pathways for enhanced international cooperation. It will:

  • Review the role of critical minerals in climate action, the implications for trade, and the opportunities and risks from developing country perspectives.
  • Examine trade-related initiatives and policy developments on critical materials and their implications for global supply chains as well as the integration and economic diversification of developing countries.
  • Review sustainability challenges associated with production, processing and supply of critical materials and the role of trade and circularity in promoting sustainable and equitable critical minerals supply chains.
  • Explore cooperative approaches to trade in critical minerals and avenues for international cooperation initiatives for sustainable and pro-development critical minerals supply chains.
  • Contribute to ongoing efforts to foster multilateral cooperation, such as the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.
Who's speaking
  • Carolyn Deere Birkbeck
    Director of Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs (TESS)
  • Akashi Lawrence Mwalye
    Permanent Mission of Zambia to the WTO
  • Alan Treat
    Attaché, Permanent Mission of the United States’ to the WTO
  • Anis Nassar
    Lead, Circular Economy Innovation and Business Engagement of World Economic Forum (WEF)
  • Bernice Lee
    Hoffman Distinguished Fellow for Sustainability, Chatham House
  • Clovis Freire
    Chief of the Commodity Research and Analysis Section, Commodities Division of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
  • Djaheezah Subratty
    Head, Sustainable Consumption and Production Unit of UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
  • Elisa Tonda
    Chief, Resources and Markets Branch of UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
  • Esfandri Nurbi
    Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Indonesia to the WTO
  • Fred Morgan Iloki Oyouka
    Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the WTO
  • Fu Kangrong
    Counsellor of Permanent Mission of China to the WTO
  • Harikrishnan Tulsidas
    Economic Affairs Officer, Sustainable Energy Division of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
  • Henry Gao
    Professor of International Law at Singapore Management University
  • Mariana Mazzucato
    Professor at the University College London
  • Marit Kitaw
    Interim Director of African Minerals Development Center (AMDC)
  • Matthew Wittenstein
    Chief of Section for Energy Connectivity of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)
  • Mauricio León
    Chief, Non-Renewable Resources Unit, Natural Resources Division, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
  • Nassim Oulmane
    Director of the Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resource Management Division at Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
  • Nimrod Zalk
    Nimrod Zalk, Chief Research Officer at the University of Cape Town
  • Sheila Aggarwal-Khan
    Director, Industry and Economy Division of UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
  • Tae-Yoon Kim
    Senior Energy Analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA)
  • Tom Moerenhoet
    Research scholar at Centre for Global Energy, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
  • Valeria Arroyave
    Critical Minerals Coordinator, Accelerate-to-Demonstrate (A2D) Facility Secretariat of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
  • Weihuan Zhou
    Associate Professor at University of New South Wales Sydney

12 Jul 2024

Time & Place
Event Details
09:30
Welcome Remarks From the Co-Hosts Opening the event with introductory comments.
Carolyn Deere Birkbeck Director of Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs (TESS)
Sheila Aggarwal-Khan Director, Industry and Economy Division of UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
09:45
Session 1: Setting the Scene This session will set the stage by providing an overview of the importance of critical minerals for meeting global climate goals and transition to net-zero energy systems. It will review current and projected dynamics and trends in critical minerals supply, demand, and trade, including key countries and supply chain actors involved, as well as relevant technology developments and trends. Finally, it will introduce key issues for consideration in terms of strategic opportunities, implications and risks for developing countries.
Tae-Yoon Kim Senior Energy Analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA)
Elisa Tonda Chief, Resources and Markets Branch of UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Clovis Freire Chief of the Commodity Research and Analysis Section, Commodities Division of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Tom Moerenhoet Research scholar at Centre for Global Energy, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
11:00
Session 2: Towards Sustainable and Just Critical Minerals Supply Chains Management: The Role of Trade This session will deep dive into the environmental, social, and economic challenges associated with critical minerals supply chains. It will explore trade-related considerations and options relevant to sustainable and just mining and critical minerals supply chains, including in relation to economic diversification and value addition priorities of resource rich developing countries.
Djaheezah Subratty Head, Sustainable Consumption and Production Unit of UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Marit Kitaw Interim Director of African Minerals Development Center (AMDC)
Valeria Arroyave Critical Minerals Coordinator, Accelerate-to-Demonstrate (A2D) Facility Secretariat of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Harikrishnan Tulsidas Economic Affairs Officer, Sustainable Energy Division of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Anis Nassar Lead, Circular Economy Innovation and Business Engagement of World Economic Forum (WEF)
13:15
Session 3: Trade-Related Initiatives and Policy Trends in Critical Minerals This session will review the range of recent trade-related policy developments relevant to critical energy transition minerals and associated supply chains as the international community seeks to respond to the climate imperative, both by countries keen to secure supply and resource-rich countries keen to advance green industrialization and economic diversification priorities. The session will provide an opportunity to reflect on commercial, geopolitical, development, and equity considerations relevant to policy developments.
Henry Gao Professor of International Law at Singapore Management University
Weihuan Zhou Associate Professor at University of New South Wales Sydney
Nimrod Zalk Nimrod Zalk, Chief Research Officer at the University of Cape Town
Mariana Mazzucato Professor at the University College London
Nassim Oulmane Director of the Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resource Management Division at Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
Bernice Lee Hoffman Distinguished Fellow for Sustainability, Chatham House
Matthew Wittenstein Chief of Section for Energy Connectivity of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)
Mauricio León Chief, Non-Renewable Resources Unit, Natural Resources Division, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
14:40
Session 4: Pathways to a Cooperative Approach to Critical Energy Transition Minerals and Trade The final session will explore pathways for international cooperation on trade in critical minerals and options for collaborative responses that reflect the urgency of climate action and the energy transition as well as of sustainable development and just transitions.
Akashi Lawrence Mwalye Permanent Mission of Zambia to the WTO
Zora Mincheva Zora Mincheva, Policy Officer of the European Commission
Fu Kangrong Counsellor of Permanent Mission of China to the WTO
Fred Morgan Iloki Oyouka Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the WTO
Esfandri Nurbi Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Indonesia to the WTO
Alan Treat Attaché, Permanent Mission of the United States’ to the WTO
Fresh Water
Did you know?
Freshwater makes up only 2 per cent of all water.

© 2024 UNEP Terms of Use Privacy Report Project Concern Report Scam Contact Us