The polycrisis in the critical minerals supply chain

Co-hosted by the Sydney Environment Institute and the 2024 Earth System Governance (ESG) Forum, this plenary session will explore the far-reaching implications of mining critical minerals for the global energy transition. As the demand for renewable energy sources rises, so too does the need for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which are essential for technologies such as batteries and wind turbines. But this increased demand comes with complex challenges that span across ecological, social, and political dimensions.

In this session, we will explore what mining these minerals means for local communities, ecosystems and global governance structures. How can we balance the urgent need for renewable energy with the protection of ecosystems and the well-being of people? How can governance frameworks adapt to address the emerging "polycrisis"—the interconnected global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and more?

Join us for an engaging discussion that aims to re-imagine governance solutions in an era marked by compounding crises.

Abstract

As the drivers and impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution intensify, actors have responded by engaging in rapid decarbonisation of energy systems and use globally.

The renewable energy transition, particularly the uptake of solar PV, wind, and lithium-ion batteries for Electric Vehicles, is a bright spot in an otherwise dismal response to climate change. Yet it is also contributing to accelerating global consumption, and feeding back into the causes of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, through the use of critical minerals for renewable technology.

Contributing to the ‘sustainability-security nexus’ is the demand for critical minerals for both renewables, and military and industrial purposes, creating geopolitical tensions between China and the West. Moreover, developing critical minerals projects entails encroaching on land- and seascapes with Indigenous and traditional tenure systems. This panel engages with the polycrisis by unpacking the demand for critical minerals, pressures on their global supply chains, socio-ecological impacts, and prospects for their governance in an uncertain world.  

Plenary Speakers

• Professor David Schlosberg (Univeristy of Sydney): Chair
• Dr Trissia Wijaya (Ritsumeikan University): Speaker on Nickel and Indonesia
• Dr Justin Alger (University of Melbourne): Speaker on Deep Sea Mining Prospects
• Dr Julia Loginova (University of Queensland): Speaker on Indigenous Engagement in CM mining
• Professor Susan Park (University of Sydney): Speaker on global governance of CM

About the 2024 ESG Forum

The 2024 ESG Forum brings together global scholars, researchers, and practitioners to focus on re-imagining governance for a world in crisis.

Organised around the theme “Re-imagining Earth System Governance in an Era of Polycrisis,” the Forum addresses the interconnectedness of global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and political instability. Featuring a variety of panels, roundtables, plenaries, and innovative sessions, the Forum offers a platform for critical reflection on global sustainability governance.

By registering, you gain access to this plenary and over 50 additional sessions aimed at exploring governance models that can tackle the complexities of the 21st century.

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