Report of the international expert group meeting on the theme “The rights of Indigenous Peoples, including those in voluntary isolation and initial contact in the context of critical minerals”

Introduction
1. The global push for renewable energy is driving an unprecedented surge in demand for critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements, which are essential for green technologies such as batteries, electric vehicles and wind turbines. It is estimated that demand for the critical energy transition minerals required to enable this global energy transition will triple by 2030 and quadruple by 2040.

2. However, as States, governments, the private sector and multinational corporations race to secure these resources, there is a significant risk that the exploitative exploration and extraction practices of the past – practices that have long affected Indigenous Peoples and their territories – will be replicated in the name of the “green energy transition”.  Click here to continue reading2.