THE CONTEXT 

A key challenge emerging is the growing demand for critical energy transition minerals, which are essential for clean energy technologies such as batteries, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels. Demand for these minerals is projected to almost triple by 2030 as the world transitions from fossil fuels to renewable energy  to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050.  

At the same time, mineral exploration, extraction, and processing can place significant pressures on biodiversity, ecosystems, water resources, and the rights and livelihoods of women, Indigenous Peoples and local communities if not adequately governed. 

As countries seek to balance climate, biodiversity, and development objectives, they face complex governance challenges, including integrating biodiversity considerations into mining policies, strengthening environmental safeguards, ensuring meaningful stakeholder participation, and managing cumulative impacts across mineral value chains. At the same time, reducing pressure on biodiversity requires action not only at the point of extraction, but also on the underlying drivers of extraction itself, in particular the rising demand for minerals, metals and other materials. A key opportunity is to bend the trend in material demand by redesigning energy, mobility, infrastructure and digital systems to be less resource intensive, more resource efficient and more circular. Reducing use in high consumption contexts enables an increase in metal and mineral use in contexts where consumption needs to increase to enable a dignified quality of life for all, while still meeting biodiversity, climate, land and other global sustainability targets. 

Where minerals and metals are already in use, their lifetime should be extended through reuse, repair, remanufacturing, recycling and other circular economy approaches. Resource efficiency, circular economy strategies and more sustainable consumption patterns can reduce the need for new extraction, including in biodiversity-sensitive areas and on lands and territories of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.  

These challenges are directly relevant to the implementation of the KMGBF and align with growing international efforts to promote responsible critical mineral development. 

In this context, CBD COP17 provides a timely platform for governments, international organizations, private sector, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and development partners to exchange experiences and explore practical approaches for managing biodiversity related risks and opportunities associated with critical mineral development, while supporting a just, equitable and nature positive energy transition. This is further reinforced by UNEA Resolution 7/3 on “strengthening international cooperation on the environmentally sound management of minerals and metals”, which calls for inclusive, intergovernmental dialogue and knowledge sharing to identify good practices, strengthen policy coherence, and enhance capacity building, particularly in developing countries. 

 

THE SIDE EVENT 

UNDP , with UNEP, IGF, and other partners, will convene a side event at CBD COP17 to explore how countries can balance the growing demand for critical minerals with biodiversity conservation and sustainable development objectives. The event will provide a platform for South–South exchange, policy dialogue, and practical solutions to support responsible mining and the implementation of the KMGBF.  

. Drawing on experiences from governments, international organizations, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and development partners, the side event will highlight lessons learned, emerging good practices and policy options for strengthening biodiversity-responsive governance across the mining lifecycle. 

The overall objective of the side event is to facilitate South-South knowledge exchange and policy dialogue on governance approaches that support both responsible mining and biodiversity conservation. The side event will: 

Provide a platform for governments, private sector, industry, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples to discuss key challenges, opportunities, and policy trade-offs linked to critical energy transition minerals, including approaches to aligning national strategies and strengthening resilient supply chains.  

Identify opportunities to enhance international cooperation that promotes greater value creation, inclusiveness, sustainability, and resilience for developing countries across critical mineral value chains, in line with the UN Panel’s principles and recommendations.  

Share country experiences on integrating biodiversity considerations into mining policies, planning, and decision-making to advance multiple SDG dividends. 

 

Discussions will focus on: 

Strategies for addressing the drivers of mineral and metal demand, which place increasing pressure on land, biodiversity and indigenous communities. 

Integrating biodiversity considerations across the mining lifecycle through the application of the mitigation hierarchy to manage impacts; 

Promoting meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples, women and local communities, including direct involvement in biodiversity baseline surveys and monitoring; 

Highlighting the importance of early Indigenous, women-led and community engagement to plan for post-mining land uses that will benefit biodiversity, ecosystem services, nature-positive livelihoods, and local communities and Indigenous Peoples; and 

Enhancing international cooperation and knowledge sharing to support a just, equitable and nature positive energy transition. 

 

Format:  

The in-person side event will consist of a moderated panel discussion followed by an interactive dialogue, with a strong emphasis on sharing country experiences and practical solutions for balancing critical mineral development with biodiversity conservation. Countries to be invited to speak include Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Kenya, Mongolia, among others. 

Expected results include improved shared understanding among governments and partners on how to balance critical mineral development with biodiversity conservation in line with KMGBF implementation. The event will strengthen exchange of country experiences and good practices on integrating biodiversity into mining policies and decision making