The international community must ensure that the global shift from fossil fuels to clean energy is equitable, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said on Monday in New York.
Ms. Mohammed briefed Member States on the work of the Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals and urged them to share feedback.
The Panel recently issued a report which showed that many of today’s rapidly growing clean energy technologies – from wind turbines and solar panels to electric vehicles and battery storage – depend on critical energy transition minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements.
Demand is set to almost triple by 2030 as the world moves from fossil fuels such as coal and gas to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by mid-century.
Ms. Mohammed noted that the world is in the midst of “a quiet revolution” because energy sources are changing.
“Renewables have never been cheaper or more accessible, and the acceleration in their roll-out is staggering but uneven,” she said.
She warned, however, that the transition “could reproduce and amplify inequalities of the past”, particularly to the detriment of developing countries whose resources, people and environment risk being exploited.
The report also sets out five Actionable Recommendations, which include forming a UN-hosted expert group to lead fair policy dialogue and drive accountability across mineral value chains.
Furthermore, it advocates for a global transparency framework, funding mechanisms to address mining’s long-term impacts, and support for small-scale miners as partners in sustainable development.