UNEP works with partners across the UN system to ensure environmental priorities in the context of extractives are mainstreamed and informed by the breadth of the UN’s knowledge and perspectives.
In support of a just energy transition, the UN is working to enhance trust and benefit sharing in critical mineral supply chains, while supporting long term sustainable development of producer nations.
The success of the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will depend heavily on the availability and accessibility of critical energy transition minerals. In support of the energy transition required to meet the Paris goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and of accelerating the achievement of the sustainable development, the United Nations, through a Secretary-General’s initiative on ‘Harnessing Critical Energy Transition Minerals for Sustainable Development in Least Developed and Land-Locked Developing Countries’, works towards building trust, reliability, sustainability and benefit sharing in existing energy transition minerals supply chains, while also supporting the transformation of these supply chains to harness opportunities and capacities in support of longer term sustainable development of the producer countries.
The Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals was launched in April 2024 with the aim of developing a set of common principles with a view to building trust among parties by addressing issues relating to equity, transparency, investment, environmental sustainability and human rights, and to guide the transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy powered by critical minerals.
Highlights:
- The UN Secretary-General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals | United Nations
- Secretary-General's remarks for the Launch of the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals [As delivered] | United Nations Secretary-General
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