Belém must make history: From mines to climate frontlines, communities and civil society across the Asia Pacific and beyond unite for transition mineral justice at COP30

A joint statement from civil society organizations across more than 14 countries in Asia and the Pacific calling for the integration of rights-based transition mineral governance into the COP30 outcomes in Belém, Brazil.

• Civil society organizations are urging COP30 leaders to establish two specific mechanisms to ensure a just transition: the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) for a Global Just Transition to coordinate pathways in resource-rich countries, and a Global Mineral Traceability Framework to enforce multilateral accountability, transparency, and environmental rights due diligence in mineral supply chains.
• The Asia Pacific region is central to the energy transition, containing 25% of global mineral resources, 60% of rare-earth reserves, and over half of the world's nickel. China specifically dominates the supply chain, accounting for 78% of global electric vehicle battery cell manufacturing.
• The transition to green energy is linked to significant ecological and human rights risks. Mineral supply chains contribute 8% to 28% of global GHG emissions and are coal-dependent. Furthermore, nearly 70% of transition minerals are located on or near Indigenous lands, and there have been over 835 documented human rights abuses related to these minerals since 2010.
• The signatories demand a shift toward systems-based change, including mandatory human and environmental rights due diligence, the recognition of Indigenous Peoples' right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), the establishment of 'no-go zones' for deep-sea mining and mining in small island states, and the advancement of a circular economy to reduce demand in developed countries.

APA

TrendAsia (2025). Belém must make history: From mines to climate frontlines, communities and civil society across the Asia Pacific and beyond unite for transition mineral justice at COP30. Trend Asia. https://trendasia.org/en/ap-tma-cop30-joint-statement-belem-must-make-history-from-mines-to-climate-frontlines-communities-civil-society-across-the-asia-pacific-and-beyond-unite-for-transition-mineral-justice-at-cop30/

Chicago

TrendAsia. Belém must make history: From mines to climate frontlines, communities and civil society across the Asia Pacific and beyond unite for transition mineral justice at COP30. Trend Asia, 2025. https://trendasia.org/en/ap-tma-cop30-joint-statement-belem-must-make-history-from-mines-to-climate-frontlines-communities-civil-society-across-the-asia-pacific-and-beyond-unite-for-transition-mineral-justice-at-cop30/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=TrendAsia |title=Belém must make history: From mines to climate frontlines, communities and civil society across the Asia Pacific and beyond unite for transition mineral justice at COP30 |publisher=Trend Asia |date=14 November 2025 |url=https://trendasia.org/en/ap-tma-cop30-joint-statement-belem-must-make-history-from-mines-to-climate-frontlines-communities-civil-society-across-the-asia-pacific-and-beyond-unite-for-transition-mineral-justice-at-cop30/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{trendasia2025belm, author = {TrendAsia}, title = {{Belém must make history: From mines to climate frontlines, communities and civil society across the Asia Pacific and beyond unite for transition mineral justice at COP30}}, publisher = {Trend Asia}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://trendasia.org/en/ap-tma-cop30-joint-statement-belem-must-make-history-from-mines-to-climate-frontlines-communities-civil-society-across-the-asia-pacific-and-beyond-unite-for-transition-mineral-justice-at-cop30/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }