Meeting of Working Group III of the Collaborative Framework on Critical Materials

In March 2022, IRENA launched the Collaborative Framework on Critical Materials for the Energy Transition to create a common forum to foster dialogue, coordinate activities on various topics, strengthen peer-to-peer exchanges and collaborations, increase transparency and develop a set of insights into the gaps and solutions for the energy transition that relies on critical materials. Activities have been pursued under three main areas of work:

1. Observatory for Critical Materials and Minerals that focuses on data collection to help understand scarcity and potential supply shortages that may affect the energy transition in the coming decade.

2. De-risking Critical Materials and Minerals Supply that focuses on developing and applying strategies to de-risk supply, including innovative solutions to reduce demand growth for minerals and metals.

3. ESG for Critical Materials and Minerals Supply that focuses on developing strategies to raise acceptance for new mining projects.

The 1st meeting of Working Group III – ESG and Mining–  took place virtually on Monday, 12 September 2022 at 2-3 pm CEST. This meeting discussed priority areas needed to raise acceptance for new mining projects, including deep-sea mining, best ESG practices in mining, renewable energy and zero-carbon mining, standards and certification for green sourcing, and creating local mining benefits.

The meeting participation was by invitation only.

For more information, please contact CFMaterials@irena.org.