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This research paper examines how the trade war between the US and China, alongside President Trump's critical mineral diplomacy, creates a strategic window for African nations to transition from raw material exporters to green technology manufacturing hubs. It argues that countries rich in minerals like cobalt and lithium can leverage geopolitical competition to secure technology transfer, domestic value addition, and diversified investment portfolios.

This report examines the role of trade and investment agreements in the supply of critical minerals, analyzing over 100 agreements and MOUs with a focus on Indonesia, Chile, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It highlights a shift toward incorporating ESG provisions in new treaties and emphasizes the need for practical implementation of MOUs to balance the interests of importing and exporting nations while supporting sustainable resource governance.

This research paper examines the evolving geopolitics of mineral supply chains, specifically how industrialised states are seeking to reduce dependencies on certain countries following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It focuses on the potential for African economies to benefit from this restructuring as the global transition to renewable energy increases the demand for critical minerals.

This research paper synthesizes evidence on agriculture-driven tropical deforestation, finding that while agriculture drove 90-99% of deforestation between 2011-2015, only 45-65% of that land became productive agriculture. The authors argue that international supply chain measures are limited because 33-50% of such deforestation does not result in managed land and roughly 75% of expansion is driven by domestic demand in producer countries, particularly in Africa.

This policy brief examines transboundary climate risks in Europe and discusses how this knowledge can support the development of climate-resilient trade and production for the EU, its Member States, and businesses.

A research paper quantifying tropical deforestation emissions from 2010–2014, finding that agriculture and forestry expansion caused ~2.6 gigatonnes CO2 per year. The study highlights that 29%–39% of these emissions were driven by international trade, with cattle and oilseeds as primary drivers and the EU and China as major importers.

The PRINCE Final Report describes the development of a hybrid model designed to track the environmental impacts of Swedish consumption, specifically to monitor the Generational Goal ensuring domestic improvements do not cause environmental or health issues abroad.

This policy paper, prepared for the IEEP Think2030 conference, examines the implementation of the European Union's bioeconomy strategy and its potential impacts on international supply chains and supplier countries.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International criticizing the European Union for obstructing United Nations negotiations for a legally binding treaty to regulate transnational corporations and ensure corporate accountability for human rights and environmental abuses.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines trade-related considerations within the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution. It highlights the intrinsic link between transforming global supply chains and ending plastic pollution, while discussing the risks of trade discrimination, implementation costs for developing nations, and the treaty's relationship with existing multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and WTO law.