The transition to renewable energy relies heavily on critical minerals such as copper, lithium and cobalt, which are essential for technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels.
While this presents significant opportunities for development, particularly for resource rich developing countries, it also poses challenges, including the potential for human rights abuses and environmental degradation linked to mining practices.
This report, published by a UN panel, outlines a set of guidelines to ensure that the mining and extraction of minerals crucial for renewable energy technologies are done in a way that prioritizes social justice, environmental sustainability, and equitable benefits for all countries involved in the energy transition, especially resource-rich developing nations; aiming to prevent exploitation and promote inclusive development.