As the global energy transition accelerates, critical minerals have emerged as both a strategic opportunity and a governance challenge for Global South countries. The concentration of mineral reserves in developing nations, alongside processing capabilities concentrated in industrialised economies, creates complex dynamics that require careful navigation to ensure just and equitable transition pathways.
This RCAW side event addresses the urgent need to examine opportunities, financing mechanisms, and governance frameworks for critical minerals in the context of a just transition, with particular focus on how Global South countries can leverage their resource endowments for sustainable development and how South-North and South-South cooperation can be reimagined to ensure a just transition.
Event Objectives : To explore opportunities and perspectives for Global South countries to leverage critical minerals for sustainable development while addressing governance challenges and financing gaps in the just transition.