The Geopolitics of Critical Mineral Supply Chains
Details
- October 2, 2023
-
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
- Cost:
- Free
- Issues:
- Climate & EnvironmentEconomic DevelopmentGovernment
Vital to both the economy and national security, critical minerals are the lifeblood of the modern world. These essential resources power industries that drive innovation, but their supply chains is vulnerable to disruption. As nations increase their reliance on electrical energy and transition to low-carbon power sources, the demand for these minerals, including aluminum, cobalt, lithium, manganese, and nickel, has surged dramatically. This surge is projected to increase by more than 450 percent by 2050, aligning with the ambitious goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Beyond meeting their domestic clean energy needs, countries are engaged in a complex dance of geopolitics and geoeconomics, as these minerals become potential tools of influence on the global stage. What is the current landscape of the critical minerals supply chains? Which geopolitical changes will affect the global supply chain of these minerals? What strategies are nations employing to secure their access to these pivotal resources? Can the vulnerabilities exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic serve as a catalyst for redefining global mineral supply chains? Join us on Monday, October 2nd from 12 PM to 1 PM ET for a virtual discussion with Dr. Morgan Bazilian, Director of the Payne Institute and a professor of public policy at the Colorado School of Mines; The Hon. Sharon E. Burke, the Founder and President of Ecospherics, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy; and Dr. Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Maurice R. Greenberg Fellow for China Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Location of the event
Vital to both the economy and national security, critical minerals are the lifeblood of the modern world. These essential resources power industries that drive innovation, but their supply chains is vulnerable to disruption. As nations increase their reliance on electrical energy and transition to low-carbon power sources, the demand for these minerals, including aluminum, cobalt, lithium, manganese, and nickel, has surged dramatically. This surge is projected to increase by more than 450 percent by 2050, aligning with the ambitious goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Beyond meeting their domestic clean energy needs, countries are engaged in a complex dance of geopolitics and geoeconomics, as these minerals become potential tools of influence on the global stage. What is the current landscape of the critical minerals supply chains? Which geopolitical changes will affect the global supply chain of these minerals? What strategies are nations employing to secure their access to these pivotal resources? Can the vulnerabilities exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic serve as a catalyst for redefining global mineral supply chains? Join us on Monday, October 2nd from 12 PM to 1 PM ET for a virtual discussion with Dr. Morgan Bazilian, Director of the Payne Institute and a professor of public policy at the Colorado School of Mines; The Hon. Sharon E. Burke, the Founder and President of Ecospherics, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy; and Dr. Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Maurice R. Greenberg Fellow for China Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.