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This report by Transforma and the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) analyzes the governance of energy transition minerals in Colombia, focusing on copper and nickel. Using the Quebradona copper project and the Cerro Matoso nickel mine as case studies, the document identifies systemic failures in environmental and social safeguards, including the criminalization of protest, violations of prior consultation rights, and inadequate benefit distribution. It proposes a set of safeguards aligned with UN principles to ensure that the extraction of strategic minerals does not reproduce historical patterns of inequality and socio-environmental conflict.

This research paper examines the evolving landscape of critical minerals diplomacy, arguing that current multilateral trade rules are insufficient to balance the economic security needs of consuming nations with the industrialization goals of resource-rich developing countries. The author analyzes the rise of non-binding sectoral partnerships and plurilateral initiatives led by developed nations, warning that these may reinforce power asymmetries. The paper proposes utilizing the World Trade Organization (WTO) or regional groupings as more neutral platforms to establish a rules-based system that supports sustainable sourcing and domestic value addition in producer economies.

This research paper argues that Nigeria can align its economic growth with its 2060 net-zero emissions goal by shifting from a raw 'extract-and-export' model to domestic value addition of transition minerals. By processing minerals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt locally, Nigeria could significantly increase its GDP contribution from the mining sector, create high-skilled jobs, and generate revenues to fund national climate initiatives.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines five critical themes and questions the organization will monitor during the 2026 Investing in Africa Mining Indaba in Cape Town. The document focuses on the intersection of geopolitics, industrialization, infrastructure, regional cooperation, and the role of civil society in Africa's mineral sector.

This report by Ember analyzes the evolving potential of geothermal electricity in Europe, highlighting how technological advances in drilling and reservoir engineering are making geothermal a cost-competitive, firm, low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels. It emphasizes that while Europe pioneered many of these technologies, it now risks losing its leadership to the US and Canada due to a lack of coordinated EU-level policy and investment frameworks.

This policy brief by Ember examines the financing landscape for ASEAN's energy transition, highlighting a significant investment gap and the varying roles of bilateral partners like China, Japan, and the United States. It argues that the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship provides a strategic opportunity to coordinate regional industrial strategies—such as Indonesia's nickel downstreaming and Viet Nam's solar manufacturing—to move the region up the clean energy value chain.

The Renewables Bulletin Latin America and the Caribbean Edition provides an update on the region's transition to clean energy, highlighting the growth of wind and solar, the role of critical minerals, and the challenges of energy efficiency and biodiversity protection. It specifically notes a recent shift in Venezuela's energy strategy and the region's overall progress relative to global averages.

This fact sheet provides a comprehensive profile of the global copper value chain, detailing production, reserves, market concentration, and the impact of the energy transition. It highlights the dominance of China in refining and smelting, the role of major producers like Chile and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the challenges associated with recycling and ore grade decline.

This report provides a comprehensive profile of Canada's mining sector, detailing its geological reserves, industrial infrastructure, economic contributions, and the regulatory frameworks governing critical minerals. It highlights Canada's strategic focus on sustainable critical mineral production and the challenges of energy and logistics in northern regions.

This research paper examines the strategic role of BRICS+ members, particularly African nations, in the global critical minerals market and their evolving relationships with the European Union. It analyzes how the expansion of BRICS+ enhances the bloc's control over essential resources for the green and digital transitions while highlighting internal geopolitical frictions that prevent a unified minerals strategy.

This policy brief analyzes the ESG landscape of Indonesia's nickel industry, noting that rapid growth has led to increased carbon emissions, social conflicts, and workplace accidents. It identifies regulatory gaps in biodiversity and human rights and recommends mandating ecosystem assessments, decarbonization plans, and free, prior, and informed consent for local and Indigenous communities to align with international best practices.

This policy brief from the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) examines the challenges and opportunities for Africa to move from a raw mineral export model to green industrialization through regional collaboration on critical resource minerals (CRMs).

This research paper examines the increasing flow of foreign direct investment from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—specifically the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar—into Africa. It details how these states are leveraging Africa's renewable energy potential and mineral resources to diversify their own hydrocarbon-dependent economies and secure food supply chains, while providing Africa with an alternative to Western and Chinese financing to address its infrastructure gap.

This research paper examines the economic activities and value-addition potential of the Lobito Corridor, a strategic transport route linking the Atlantic port of Lobito in Angola to the Copperbelt mining regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia via the Benguela Railway. The author argues that while the corridor is designed to catalyze economic development beyond mineral exports, there is a significant disconnect between the high-efficiency logistics used for raw material exports and the inadequate infrastructure available to local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

This policy brief examines the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks associated with Indonesia's nickel industry, which is critical to the global energy transition. While Indonesia has seen significant economic growth and export value increases through its downstreaming strategy and export bans, the sector faces challenges including high carbon intensity, workplace fatalities, and rising agrarian disputes. The document maps Indonesian regulations against international standards, identifies policy gaps in human rights and transparency, and provides recommendations to strengthen safeguards and governance.

This report, curated by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS), is a compilation of 34 expert views exploring how the international trading system can support the Paris Agreement and climate-resilient development. It identifies critical synergies and tensions at the nexus of trade, climate, and sustainable development, focusing on clean energy transitions, green industrial policies, and the specific vulnerabilities of developing nations.

This report by Transforma and the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) proposes social, environmental, and governance safeguards for the mining of energy transition minerals in Latin America. Based on UN principles and case studies in Chile, Colombia, and Peru, the document identifies systemic gaps between mining laws and their territorial implementation, advocating for a shift away from historical extractivist patterns toward a just energy transition.

This research paper argues that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should adopt a forward-looking transitional justice framework for climate governance to address structural inequities and gender-based vulnerabilities. The author proposes that by institutionalising justice through regional mechanisms—such as a gender-responsive minerals strategy and a dedicated adaptation fund for women—ECOWAS can ensure a just energy transition and climate resilience that is independent of the instability of global climate finance and multilateral agreements.

This research paper analyzes South Africa's G20 presidency, focusing on its efforts to advance African priorities and the broader Global South development agenda amidst a challenging geopolitical climate. The author evaluates four primary priorities—debt sustainability, climate and energy transitions, disaster resilience, and critical minerals—concluding that while the presidency has successfully raised global awareness and shaped the narrative for African development, the ambitious goals are unlikely to be fully realized in practice due to a lack of international consensus.

This research paper examines the intersection of international trade regulations and Africa's ambitions for green technology and industrialisation. It specifically analyzes the potential impacts of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and US tariffs, arguing that while these measures could theoretically drive demand for renewables, they are more likely to create fiscal constraints and hinder the continent's ability to invest in green R&D. The author advocates for a coordinated African response through the UNFCCC, the WTO, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to secure technology transfer and affordable finance.