Critical minerals are at the center of emerging debates about the transition to renewable energy. Just as fossil fuels have been the backbone of global energy needs for more than a century, several dozen minerals will make possible the green technologies of tomorrow’s energy systems. Minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, graphite, aluminum, rare earths, silver, and zinc are expected to experience dramatic increases in demand in the coming decades.
The growing demand for these minerals prompts difficult questions about who might be affected by their extraction. There is a long history of conflict between mining and Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In June 2023, a study by an international team of researchers found that around 25 percent of environmental conflicts involving Indigenous Peoples were caused by mining. Researchers found that Indigenous communities were negatively impacted by land dispossession, biodiversity loss, water pollution, soil degradation, and lost livelihoods. According to a recent global mapping of 5,097 critical mineral projects, 69 percent of existing or planned projects are located on or near IPLCs’ lands.1 Accelerating demand for critical minerals is increasing pressure for new or expanded mining activities in IPLCs’ lands and territories and is already raising concerns about the increased potential for conflict.