Critical Metals, Sourcing, and Long Supply Chains: Constraints on Transport Decarbonization EPR2022SE2
To achieve decarbonization through means such as energy-efficient vehicles, active travel, and electrified road freight, solutions must reduce upstream demands on supply chains. However, even taking such a path, the energy transition will massively increase demand for raw materials such as cobalt, nickel, platinum group metals, and rare earth elements. Many of the metals can be largely substituted if required, so they are not truly critical to decarbonization.
Critical Metals, Sourcing, and Long Supply Chains: Constraints on Transport Decarbonization discusses how lithium, silver, and copper are much more difficult to replace, and the energy transition is highly likely to depend on them. Greatly increased and more geographically dispersed investments in mineral extraction are vital. Governments must support this by giving investors clear signals about the rate of the transition, geological survey data, accelerated permits, and government backed finance. Public support for sustainable mining should be gained by raising awareness that mineral extraction is critical to combating climate change.
