Introducing the minerals-energy-food (MEF) complex

The report proposes the minerals-energy-food (MEF) complex as an evolution of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus. It argues that the WEF nexus fails to account for the global trade of commodities, the critical role of minerals in the energy transition, and the systemic power asymmetries between resource-rich low-income countries and wealthy consuming nations. The MEF complex integrates three commodity clusters (minerals, energy, food), three local mediating factors (water, land, labour), and five higher-order global factors (global governance, trade, supply chains, geopolitics, and climate change). Using examples from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Brazil, and Ukraine, the authors demonstrate how these components interact to create cascading risks and unequal exchange. The report concludes with a research and policy agenda focused on data transparency, risk ownership, governance mapping, and inclusive participation.

• Global raw material extraction has increased by nearly 400% since the 1970s, and is projected to rise by another 60% by 2060, driven by climate mitigation, technological growth, and consumption patterns.
• The existing water-energy-food (WEF) nexus is insufficient for modern resource governance because it confuses physical flows (water) with traded commodities (energy and food), focuses too heavily on local trade-offs, and lacks a focus on transnational governance and climate policy as a driver of demand.
• The MEF complex is structured around three commodity clusters (minerals, energy, food), three local mediating factors (water, land, labour), and five higher-order factors (global governance, global trade, global supply chains, geopolitics, and climate change).
• There are severe power asymmetries in the MEF complex where extraction occurs in low-income countries while processing and consumption benefits concentrate in wealthy nations; for example, 60% of cobalt mining is in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but value-chain benefits primarily go to high-income and emerging economies.
• The energy transition significantly increases the demand for minerals compared to fossil-fuel technologies; offshore wind requires ten times more mined minerals than natural gas and six times more than coal, while electric vehicles require seven times more minerals than petrol cars.
• Water, land, and labour act as local regulators that determine the interdependence of the commodity clusters; for instance, 16% of critical mineral deposits are in highly water-stressed areas, and agricultural expansion often competes with mining for land, leading to deforestation and community displacement.
• Geopolitical tensions, such as the US-China rivalry and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, destabilize resource systems by creating supply-chain shocks, price spikes in food and energy markets, and the securitization of strategic resources.
• Climate change acts as an omnipresent factor that manifests locally through extreme weather and slow-onset changes, while also driving the demand for critical minerals through mitigation policies.
• The authors propose a four-part research and policy agenda: improving data transparency across supply chains, clarifying risk ownership to distribute responsibility equitably, mapping the fragmented global governance landscape, and incorporating diverse voices from affected communities and lower-income countries.

APA

Dzebo, A., Talebian, S., Dellmuth, L., Vigil, S., Flach, R., Lager, F., Hedlund, J., Allan, M., Mikaelsson, Steiner, C., Croft, S., & Benzie, M. (2025). Introducing the minerals-energy-food (MEF) complex. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/sei-report-mef-complex-dzebo-01072025.pdf

Chicago

Dzebo, Adis, Sara Talebian, Lisa Dellmuth, Sara Vigil, Rafaela Flach, Frida Lager, Johanna Hedlund, et al. Introducing the minerals-energy-food (MEF) complex. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2025. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/sei-report-mef-complex-dzebo-01072025.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{dzebo2025introducing, author = {Dzebo, Adis and Talebian, Sara and Dellmuth, Lisa and Vigil, Sara and Flach, Rafaela and Lager, Frida and Hedlund, Johanna and Allan, Mikael and Mikaelsson and Steiner, Clare and Croft, Simon and Benzie, Magnus}, title = {{Introducing the minerals-energy-food (MEF) complex}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/sei-report-mef-complex-dzebo-01072025.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }