UN Framework on Just Transitions for Critical Energy Transition Minerals
The success of the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will heavily depend on the availability and accessibility of critical energy transition minerals. Developing countries with these minerals will have a 20-to-30-year window to tap into expected investment flows to generate long-term economic development, create new green jobs, and secure sustainable local development. The accelerated extraction will also bring environmental and social challenges that need to be addressed. Responsible mineral development will require strategies that involve both short and long-term elements, that foster value addition, circularity, and benefit sharing, build resilience, trust, and economic diversification, and create sustainable green jobs.
Based on existing frameworks, best practices, and anchored in existing intergovernmental agreements (e.g. the Africa Mining Vision, the ASEAN Minerals Cooperation Action Plan 2016-2025; the European Critical Raw Materials Act; the Escazu Agreement; the United Nations Environment Assembly-4 resolution 19 “Mineral Resource Governance”, among others) the Secretary-General’s Working Group and its partners, in consultation with member states, experts, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders will develop the UN Framework on Just Transitions for Critical Energy Transition Minerals. The framework will identify guiding voluntary principles; policies, measures; and partnerships, communities of practice, networks and initiatives on critical minerals that could enable the development of durable institutional capacities for a responsible critical mineral sector in mineral-rich developing countries. Guidance will be proposed across 4 pillars: production capacities; trade competitiveness capacities; environmental and social stewardship; and governance and regulation.
Process, Teams, and Timeline to Develop the UN Framework
In the initial phase of the initiative, teams led by the UN Regional Economic Commissions, UNCTAD, UNEP, UNDP, UNIDO, ILO, OHCHR, the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) and the World Bank, will prepare background documents with initial suggestions to be discussed with relevant stakeholders from governments, the UN system, technical experts, civil society, and private sector. A draft UN Framework will be in 2024 based on inputs received throughout this consultation process.
In a second phase of the initiative, the UN Framework will be customized and tested in a subset of Least Developed Countries and Land-Locked developing countries to be identified with guidance from UN Country Teams, based on country demand and UN capacities.
For any questions, please write to:
Maria José Baptista | [email protected]
