LMN has agreed one of its thematic areas of work will be on a just energy transition, with a focus on energy ‘transition minerals’ (i.e. those minerals that will be required to end our dependence on fossil fuels).
LMN’s Statement on Just Transition and Transition Minerals
LMN and its members believe that a rapid move away from a reliance on fossil fuels for energy is required in order to avert a growing climate crisis. However, in order to be a just transition, it needs to be inclusive of all the affected actors, including local communities and the rights of nature.
LMN is working towards this vision of an inclusive just transition, which also challenges the idea of an industrial growth-based energy transformation through three interlinked strands of work. They are:
- acting in direct solidarity with mining-affected communities and workers, particularly where there are UK-based mining or financing interests;
- ensuring where possible there is effective and inclusive human rights and environmental due diligence on mineral supply chains, and;
- challenging the rising demand for minerals and the corporate claims surrounding it. The idea that we can have continual green growth without impacts on society has been debunked. We aim to expose the claims of the mining industry over its crucial role in the energy transition, including through arguments for fundamental societal changes to satisfy the needs of society while reducing unsustainable material consumption.
LMN has been engaging in the issue of transition minerals since co-commissioning an initial report, A Justice Transition is a Post-Extractive Transition in 2019. This led to the setting up of a Working Group on Just Transition and Transition Minerals in 2020, which is made up of LMN members, individuals and representatives of partner organisations who are engaging on the issue. Further activities have included the publishing of a second report, A Material Transition, in 2021, the organising of various webinars and advocacy – particularly focussed on the climate movement and the 2021 Glasgow COP, and advocacy around the UK government’s Critical Minerals Strategy.
More information and resources are listed below, and we encourage those interested to find out more and join the Working Group.
Reports
Here are reports that have been written/researched by members of the LMN Just Transition Working Group:
Post-Extractive Transition (2019)
Videos
Resources
- Battery Minerals for the Clean Energy Transition – a useful fact-sheet from Earthworks.
- Fossil Free Careers – Information from our Just Transition Working Group and People & Planet highlighting the top 250 extractive companies, and pressuring UK universities to cut ties with them.
- Transition Minerals Tracker – tracking the human rights implications of the mineral boom powering the transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Salt to Stars – a comic about the environmental and community impact of lithium mining from the Center for Interdisciplinary Environmental Justice.