...Demand for copper – and other critical minerals used in green tech – has increased substantially. But so far, only a handful of countries are responsible for mining and refining these resources...

This means that the mining industry, which the UN has categorised as a high-risk sector for human rights, will play an indispensable role in the energy transition. In this context, many European leaders are willing to turn a blind eye to the industry’s human-rights violations and environmental destruction. But neglecting these issues could undermine the EU’s efforts to secure access to raw materials and to mitigate climate change...

With the Critical Raw Materials Act, the EU intends to create mutually beneficial partnerships with resource-rich countries and promote strategic projects for critical-mineral mining, processing, and recycling. But pressure to move fast could lead to the revival of old practices.

Moreover, monitoring of compliance with human-rights and environmental standards will be outsourced to private certification providers, at least for projects outside the bloc...

The EU needs more effective tools. The proposed Supply Chain Due Diligence Directive, which would oblige companies to prevent adverse environmental and human-rights practices in their supply chains, is crucial and should be applied to financial firms as well, given their importance in the raw-materials sector.

Moreover, the EU must play an active role in the negotiations for a UN Binding Treaty on Business and Human Rights, to prevent multinationals from harming the environment and local communities, as happened in Espinar...

By focusing on lowering demand, and introducing more stringent requirements and effective mechanisms for due diligence, the EU could prevent environmental harms and human rights abuses while also meeting its goal of building a more independent and resilient bloc.