Implications of the energy transition on sustainable critical minerals development : aligning extractive industries with the sustainable development goals

This report identifies that transitioning towards a clean energy future is a mainstay of the global efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement’s climate goals. In this publication, it is understood that the energy transition implies a shift from a fuel-intensive system to a material-intensive energy system, and will create significant demand for critical raw materials (CRMs), including critical minerals, because the technologies underpinning low-carbon energy systems, such as wind, solar PV and batteries, are more minerals-intensive than fossil fuel-based technologies.