A UN panel has a chance to center Indigenous Peoples for a just and sustainable energy transition

By Galina Angarova, Executive Director of the SIRGE Coalition 

With the world racing towards a green energy transition, we are at a pivotal moment in history—one that holds the potential to either propel us into a future of sustainability or deepen the injustices that Indigenous Peoples have faced for centuries. 

The UN Secretary-General recently established a panel on energy transition minerals to address concerns about the impact of a massive rise in demand from producers of batteries for electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels. 

Meeting this week in Nairobi, the panel is expected to submit recommendations in early September—​a first and potentially significant step toward building a just, equitable and sustainable framework to make sure that global demand for these essential resources avoids harming people and the planet.

Indigenous Peoples constitute 6.2 percent of the global population and manage 24 percent of the Earth’s total land surface; they are also the stewards of 80 percent of the planet's remaining biodiversity. These ecosystems also store and absorb massive amounts of carbon. 

Rich in biodiversity and vital to combating climate change, the lands and territories of Indigenous Peoples are also home to 54 percent of the world's transition minerals. This reality underscores the need for the full recognition, protection and empowerment of Indigenous peoples, as the world transitions to green and renewable energy.

The rush to secure critical minerals brings with it both opportunities and risks—especially for Indigenous Peoples’ communities whose lands are often targeted for resource extraction.

As the panel launches into its important work, it must place the rights and leadership of Indigenous Peoples at the heart of its recommendations. 

For centuries, Indigenous Peoples have been subjected to exploitation with little regard for their rights or the sanctity of their lands. The UN panel's recommendations could break this cycle by calling for the extraction of transition minerals to be conducted with the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. Doing so is not only a moral imperative but also central to sustainably maintaining ecosystems that are biodiverse and rich in carbon.

In analyzing the pathways for extracting and utilizing minerals such as lithium, cobalt, copper, and nickel, the UN panel has an opportunity to recognize and protect the role Indigenous Peoples play in preserving intact ecosystems that are estimated to be valued at $44 trillion to the global economic sector. 

The energy transition must be inclusive and just, recognizing the central role that Indigenous Peoples play in safeguarding the planet’s biodiversity and climate. 

A just energy transition can be possible only with full recognition and protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, as enumerated by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This includes the fundamental right to self-determination, which allows Indigenous Peoples to govern their lands, territories and resources, and the right to develop and prioritize their economic activities.

Failure to recognize those rights will endanger climate goals and the reputations and financial well-being of the economic and political actors rushing to invest in renewable energy technologies. 

As the UN panel develops its recommendations, it brings together a diverse set of actors, representing governments, industry and mining-affected communities. Together they must find common ground for ensuring that Indigenous Peoples have the authority to make decisions about their lands. This is not just a matter of justice—it is a necessary step toward keeping a thriving planet where we all can live.