// ENERGY, CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT: CRITICAL MINERALS
Beyond supply security: why the G7 needs global partnerships and circularity for resilient critical minerals systems
As critical minerals move to the core of energy and industrial strategy, resilient systems will require a broader shift towards global partnerships and circular value chains
C ritical minerals have moved to the centre of the global energy transition, industrial policy and, increasingly, economic security. Yet, although the geopolitical framing often emphasises competition and supply chain risks, a narrow focus on securi- tisation alone risks missing the larger picture: no group of countries, not even the G7 economies, can secure access to critical minerals on its own. Build- ing on recent progress, the G7 needs to continue to advance the momen- tum generated under Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency, which placed critical min- erals high on the agenda and initiated important discussions on supply chain coordination and sustainability. G7 members have taken significant steps in recent years to secure access to critical minerals. National strate- gies in the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Japan and others have expanded lists of critical materials, invested in domestic mining and processing, and supported supply
Patrick Schröder, senior research fellow, Chatham House
diversification through bilateral part- nerships. Encouragingly, many of these strategies have also started to recognise the role of recycling, resource effi- ciency and circularity, signalling a shift towards more systemic thinking. Internationally, G7 members have launched a range of initiatives to secure supply chains and promote stand- ards, including bilateral partnerships with resource-rich countries, and made efforts to align environmental and labour practices. These initiatives are important, but they often remain G7-centric in design and governance, with limited integration of broader producer and consumer countries. Also, current approaches remain overly focused on upstream supply security through investments in mining, refining and, more recently, stockpiling initi- atives, rather than building resilient, circular value chains. This is a critical gap. Minerals secu- rity is inherently global. Key producers, processors and future demand centres
100 // G7 FRANCE: THE ÉVIAN SUMMIT 2026
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online