To limit the impact of climate change, the world must urgently expand its use of renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, electric vehicles (EVs), and large-scale battery storage. However, these technologies require a significant increase in the extraction and supply of critical minerals—including cobalt, nickel, and lithium. While essential for the green energy transition, the mining of these minerals often leads to environmental degradation, social injustice, and conflicts, particularly in developing countries.
In response to these concerns, a group of scientists affiliated with the United Nations has proposed an innovative solution: the creation of a Global Minerals Trust. This initiative aims to replace the current fragmented and competitive model of resource extraction with one that prioritizes transparency, fairness, and long-term sustainability.
“We need to move away from an exploitative and divided global system and establish one based on equity, accountability, and resilience,” said Dr. Kaveh Madani, a professor at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, and one of the co-authors of the proposal.
According to a newly published article in Science and an accompanying policy brief, the proposed Global Minerals Trust would manage the trade and supply of critical minerals as shared global resources. Rather than countries competing over finite supplies, the trust would help coordinate global demand and ensure that environmental and social safeguards are met. Importantly, nations would retain full sovereignty and ownership of their resources, but the trust would facilitate more ethical and sustainable mining and trade practices.
“This framework offers a dual benefit—it minimizes ecological damage while encouraging international cooperation,” explained Dr. Saleem Ali, lead author of the study and a member of the UN Environment Programme’s International Resource Panel. He added that such a mechanism could also help stabilize prices and encourage a circular economy by incorporating systems for recycling and leasing metals.
Historically, mineral-rich countries—particularly in Africa—have experienced exploitation, environmental harm, and conflict tied to resource extraction, with minimal economic benefit to local populations. A global trust, advocates argue, could introduce stronger accountability mechanisms, ensuring affected communities are protected and adequately compensated.
“The trust has the potential to support long-term prosperity for countries and populations often left behind by the current system,” said Stephen Northey from the Institute for Sustainable Futures in Australia, who was not involved in the study.
However, the proposal is not without its skeptics. Emmanuel Kayembe, a professor of international relations at the University of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), voiced concerns about the feasibility of implementation in countries plagued by instability. In places where armed groups control mineral-rich regions, he argues, local people may continue to be excluded from the benefits.
“Without effective governance and territorial control, such an initiative may remain more aspirational than actionable,” Kayembe cautioned.
The policy brief and study have been released ahead of the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, where discussions on global resource governance and energy transitions are expected. As the host nation, Canada is seen as being in a strategic position to champion the early development and consensus around the Global Minerals Trust concept.
