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Energy Transition
Inform the UN Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals
This July IRMA participated in the first in-person meeting of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The panel is charged with developing “a set of global and common voluntary principles on issues which are key to building trust between governments, communities and industry, enhancing transparency and investment and ensuring a just and equitable management of sustainable, responsible, and reliable value chains for terrestrial critical energy transition minerals.”
The work of the panel is a UN-wide effort with technical support from the UN Environment Program, the UN Conference on Trade and Development, and other UN bodies.
Panel Timeline: April to September 2024
The panel is working under a tight timeline. UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced the panel on 2 December 2023 at COP28 in Dubai. The panel was launched on 26 April this year and the first substantive panel meeting was held in a virtual format on 22 May.
Between the May and early July, panel members worked across four workstreams divided into four related topics:
Each workstream met twice in virtual formats to discuss and propose principles and recommended actions in preparation for the in-person 8-9 July panel meeting in Copenhagen. Prior to the Copenhagen meeting, a set of Civil Society Recommendations for the panel, supported by over 136 organizations around the world, was submitted to inform the panel’s work.
The last panel meeting will be held in person 20-21 August in Nairobi. The final panel report is to be submitted to the Secretary-General by early September 2024.
Opportunity to Submit Comments
On 2 July the UN published a panel background paper and opened a portal for public submission of comments to inform the panel. The portal will remain open through 30 July. We encourage you to submit comments and share the opportunity to do so with your networks.
IRMA also welcomes your recommendations regarding our engagement in the panel and any aspect of the panel’s work. Please contact us at contact@responsiblemining.net to inform this effort.
Useful Links:
The UN Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals
IRMA Engagement in the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals
IRMA is serving as a non-state actor panel member in the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.
The panel, co-chaired by Ambassador Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa and Ms. Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy of the European Commission, aims to “build trust between governments, local communities and industry, by addressing issues relating to equity, transparency, investment, sustainability and human rights” in the mining sector. The objectives of the panel are to:
The UN Secretary General announced formation of the panel at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai and launched the panel on 26 April 2024. The panel will build on the work of IRMA and other existing standards as well as prior and ongoing UN initiatives to inform recommendations, including a set of voluntary principles, for the UN Secretary-General to share at the UN General Assembly this September.
IRMA welcomes your recommendations regarding our engagement in the panel, its objectives, and how to achieve these objectives. Please reach out to contact@responsiblemining.net to inform our engagement.
Useful Links: