Critical Minerals for a Just Clean Energy Transition in Asia Pacific

Date: 15 November 2023

Time: 11h45 – 13h00 MYT 

Location: Tanjung Puteri 302 Room, Persada Johor International Convention Center, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Organizers: UNEP, UN Secretary-General’s Working Group on Transforming Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development including UNESCAP, in collaboration with the Climate Champions Team

This is an official Track 1 Event of the Asia and the Pacific Climate Week. Live streaming link forthcoming. 

Description: 

There is growing recognition that the mining sector, if well-managed, can play a positive role in promoting sustainable development and structural economic transformation. The success of the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will heavily depend on the availability and accessibility of critical energy transition minerals. Given the amounts required and expected pace of extraction and processing, these minerals are of particular importance to sustainability transitions and to relations between nations.

The circular economy plays a key role in ensuring critical minerals supply in APAC. According to the WWF, recycling could supply 20% of total mineral demand between 2022 and 2050, and the IEA estimates that recycled copper, lithium, nickel and cobalt from used batteries could address 10% of the demand for these critical minerals. In fact, consumer technology has the potential to be a large secondary source of rare earths and other critical minerals.  In an effort to secure localised supply of critical minerals, examples are emerging of countries within the region setting up recycling hubs. Demand for secure supply of critical minerals is also driving research and development investment in such circular strategies and providing aid to build recovery and recycling facilities to drive commercialisation.

The session will:

• Showcase the role that the region can play in clean technology value chains and how they can strengthen that position.
• Discuss trends, best practices, opportunities, and challenges for the APAC region from the expected increase in global demand for energy transition minerals.
• Discuss strategies to effectively address the environmental and social impacts of the mining sector in the region.
• Explore opportunities for regional and international collaboration.
• Explore the economic, environmental and societal opportunities and challenges presented for the Asia Pacific region in the context of facilitating a just clean energy transition through critical minerals industry (e.g. job creation in minerals processing, recycling hub development)