Europe’s path to climate neutrality depends on critical minerals (lithium, rare earths, nickel, cobalt), which are all increasingly being weaponised in today’s World of Fortresses (dixit Mark Carney). This situation is further exacerbated as a result of (another) war in the Middle East. While recycling and circularity are essential, they cannot fully meet the scale of the cleantech transition. This is now even more true as AI/digitalisation and defense applications are further boosting the demand for critical minerals.

Primary mining and refining of critical minerals will remain necessary. But history shows that mining can bring profound environmental, social and cultural disruption, especially for local and indigenous communities. So the real challenge is not only whether we mine – but under which conditions, and with whom at the table.

The organisers of the present event advocate a shift from “top-down-pushing-it-down-your throat-kind-of-acceptance-approach” to genuine co-creation. We promote community-centric, benefit-sharing approaches where local communities are recognised as active stakeholders in resource governance.

Because the energy transition must also be a just transition. Industry, trade unions, NGOs, indigenous representatives and community voices, policymakers and researchers will engage in an open, respectful dialogue where parties should not only speak but also genuinely LISTEN. We do not seek to secure approval, but to build authentic social contracts for responsible mineral/metal production. The programme combines a global perspective (with inspirational non-EU speakers), a European perspective and a Nordic perspective. In the final session we will wrap it all up and see if we have developed more common ground.

“The energy transition cannot succeed without critical minerals. But it cannot succeed without social legitimacy either.“

Download the event’s programme