While securing critical minerals has become a top priority for governments around the world, extractive industries pose significant risks to low- and middle-income countries. Without robust environmental and public-health protections, only a privileged few will reap the rewards of the clean-energy transition.
NAIROBI – Global efforts to combat climate change are primarily focused on phasing out fossil fuels and shifting to renewable energy. The accelerated pace of this transition, particularly in high-income countries, has led to a growing demand for critical metals and rare minerals, which are crucial for clean-energy infrastructure like batteries and semiconductors. According to the World Bank, more than three billion tons of minerals and metals will be needed by 2050 to develop the technologies required to limit the global temperature rise to 2° Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
NAIROBI – Global efforts to combat climate change are primarily focused on phasing out fossil fuels and shifting to renewable energy. The accelerated pace of this transition, particularly in high-income countries, has led to a growing demand for critical metals and rare minerals, which are crucial for clean-energy infrastructure like batteries and semiconductors. According to the World Bank, more than three billion tons of minerals and metals will be needed by 2050 to develop the technologies required to limit the global temperature rise to 2° Celsius above pre-industrial levels.