Understanding the United Nations’ New Principles for Resourcing the Energy Transition – IISD Reporting Services

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Greg Radford explains new principles and recommendations developed by the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals and designed to advance equity and justice.
At the 28th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP 28), governments agreed to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030. A successful transition to renewable, low-carbon energy will need significantly more minerals like copper, lithium, and nickel. But how can we ensure that the necessary mining will be done with concern and protection for people and the planet? New guiding principles and recommendations from the UN are designed to drive a fair and just energy transition.
The principles were created by a panel appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in April 2024. The panel was tasked to develop a set of voluntary principles to address challenges often linked to mining—such as social conflict and environmental degradation—and ensure a just, equitable, and successful energy transition. The panel’s launch followed plans announced by Guterres at COP 28 in 2023.
“A world powered by renewables is a world hungry for critical minerals. For developing countries, critical minerals are a critical opportunity to create jobs, diversify economies, and dramatically boost revenues. But only if they are managed properly. The race to net zero cannot trample over the poor. The renewables revolution is happening—but we must guide it towards justice,” said Guterres in launching the panel.
The panel was co-chaired by Ambassador Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa and Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul Jørgensen of the European Commission. The 40 panellists included representatives from national governments and non-state actors with expertise and experience working on the issues, including the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) Secretariat, which is hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).
Over 4 months, the panel met 13 times virtually and twice physically in Copenhagen and Nairobi. The panel also considered 100 submissions from governments, organizations, businesses, financial institutions, and individuals.
The panel formulated and agreed on seven voluntary guiding principles to be applied to the entire value chain and life cycle of critical energy transition minerals. In addition, it proposes actionable recommendations to support the implementation of the principles. The panel advises that these interconnected principles should all carry equal weight and be collectively advanced.
The panel made several actionable recommendations that leverage the UN’s ability to create key bodies and processes to embed and maintain the principles. These recommendations include establishing a High-Level Expert Advisory Group housed in the UN to accelerate greater benefit-sharing, value addition, and economic diversification in critical energy transition mineral value chains, as well as responsible and fair trade, investment, finance, and taxation.
Other recommendations call for initiatives to
The panel and its outcomes are unique as a UN project and should motivate the UN to use its position as a global convenor to support the guiding principles for a just and equitable energy transition. At the same time, the panel is clear that actions should aim to build on the existing national, intergovernmental, civil society, and industry organizations seeking similar goals.
The Secretary General has committed to harnessing the UN system to support implementation and has asked the co-chairs and panel to consult and share the report with member states and other stakeholders ahead of COP29 later this year.
As the leading intergovernmental body focused on mining policy, the IGF is well-placed to support the UN principles. The IGF has an impactful track record of working to strengthen mining governance for the betterment of communities, economies, and the environment in its 85 member countries, including most of the world’s major mining jurisdictions. Policy-makers from these nations will convene with global non-state actors at the IGF’s upcoming 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM), with a focus on Redefining Mining: Balancing the Need for Minerals with Protecting People and the Planet, this November at the UN Palais des Nations in Geneva.
As the IGF’s host institution, IISD supports the Secretariat with its expertise in finance, investment, taxation, and trade to support fairer and more responsible critical mineral value chains for a just energy transition.
As a member-driven organization, the IGF focuses on pressing issues stemming from the rising demand for critical minerals in the energy transition. Evolving mining policy concerns are reflected in the IGF’s Mining Policy Framework, updated and ratified by members in 2023, which outlines international good practices throughout the mining life cycle and details the Secretariat’s mandate to work on key policy areas.
Greg Radford served on the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals and is the Director of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), hosted by IISD.
 
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