Critical Minerals, Geopolitical Rivalries, and Sustainable Development
On 28 February 2024, I convened and moderated a discussion on critical minerals at the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Trade + Sustainability Hub, held alongside the WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi. Joining me were Sophia Kalantzakos of New York University Abu Dhabi, Vlado Vivoda of Rabdan Academy and Stephen Scalet of Trends Research & Advisory. The session brought together questions that increasingly overlap in my work: trade, technology, geopolitical competition and sustainable development.
My starting point was that reducing excessive dependence on a single supplier is different from treating that supplier as an adversary. Diversifying critical mineral supply chains can make sense without turning the process into an effort to exclude China. Sophia explored why earlier warnings about resource dependence had produced so little change, and how decarbonisation and strategic competition were now reshaping governments’ priorities.
Vlado framed the challenge around three objectives that do not always sit comfortably together: security of supply, affordability and sustainability. Expanding mining to support the energy transition raises difficult environmental and social questions, while securing alternative supplies can come at a higher cost. Stephen examined the tension between a global climate challenge and increasingly national or alliance-based responses, including the Minerals Security Partnership. He argued for broader cooperation and a more meaningful role for developing countries.
The discussion with participants brought the interests of mineral-producing countries into sharper focus. Whose needs make a mineral “critical”? How can countries capture more value from their resources, protect land and water, and avoid repeating the experience of exporting raw materials with limited domestic benefits? We also debated the respective roles of government policy and business decisions in creating today’s dependencies. These questions make the case for cooperation that goes beyond securing supplies for the major industrial economies.
Watch the discussion
Critical Minerals, Geopolitical Rivalries, and Sustainable Development. Trade + Sustainability Hub, Abu Dhabi, 28 February 2024. Session organised by the World Economic Forum, Rabdan Academy and Trends Research & Advisory.
Watch on YouTube · Event programme
The recording runs for approximately 65 minutes. Opening remarks begin at 8:55, following introductions. The wider discussion begins at 45:00.
Photograph: Sunrise Dam Gold Mine, Western Australia, by Calistemon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and displayed with a crop and tonal overlay; adapted image under the same licence.
