Discussion: Preventing Additional Strife and Unfairness from Mineral Mining Activities
At this year's COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, a groundbreaking agreement is being proposed. The aim is to establish a binding global treaty that focuses on due diligence and traceability mechanisms for mining, particularly in cases where mining products come from chains linked to illegal activities.
This agreement is not limited to transition minerals like lithium, copper, and cobalt, which are crucial for the global energy transition and the production of technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries. It also extends to other minerals of high interest, such as gold. Countries like Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico will have to prepare for a long cycle of strong demand for these minerals.
The agreement, however, faces a significant challenge in its implementation: the inclusion of all minerals, not just transition minerals. This is a complex task, given that nearly 40% of these mineral resources are found in countries with weak or failing governance, lacking laws, policies, practices, and accountability mechanisms to ensure mining does no harm and instead delivers benefits to their populations.
To address this challenge, a multi-stakeholder working group will be created under the UN. This group will take the initiative forward, working towards a more sustainable and equitable mining industry.
The agreement also places a strong emphasis on human rights, particularly the consultation rights of Indigenous peoples. This is of particular importance in countries like Peru and Colombia, where highly biodiverse regions are under threat due to gold mining activities. The agreement aims to ensure that Indigenous peoples are not relegated in the extraction processes, but instead are active participants in decision-making and benefit from the resources extracted from their lands.
The global energy transition relies heavily on the production of technologies that require these critical minerals. However, the extraction of these minerals must be done responsibly, taking into account the environment, local communities, and the rights of Indigenous peoples. The proposed agreement at COP30 is a step in the right direction towards achieving this goal.
The agreement's roots can be traced back to the UN COP16 biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia, where a proposal for a global agreement on traceability in mineral supply chains was launched to reduce biodiversity loss and pollution. Since then, countries like Argentina and Mexico have also shown interest in strengthening their roles in the production of these critical minerals.
Bolivia, too, is trying to develop its lithium industry, but progress has been slow. Chile, on the other hand, is the second largest producer of lithium in the world. As the demand for these minerals continues to grow, it is crucial that countries improve their governance frameworks to avoid problems like corruption, illegality, and destruction.
In the coming years, there will be an intensification in extraction rates for these minerals. Countries need to better prepare or strengthen their governance frameworks to ensure a sustainable and equitable mining industry that benefits all stakeholders. The proposed agreement at COP30 is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
The currently promoted proposed agreement is the International Pandemic Agreement, which was agreed upon by WHO member states on April 16, 2025, and adopted by the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025. This agreement aims to improve global preparedness and response to pandemics, prevent future pandemics through a One Health approach, and ensure fair global distribution of pandemic-related products, while expressly respecting national sovereignty without granting WHO authority to impose measures like lockdowns or travel restrictions.
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