Global treaty to track critical minerals stalls at un assembly despite environmental urgency

Intense negotiations at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi last December ended in disappointment for environmental advocates pushing for stronger oversight of the global minerals trade. Colombia and Oman’s ambitious proposal for a legally binding international treaty to track critical minerals worldwide met significant resistance from multiple member states, ultimately resulting in only a weak, non-binding resolution.

The proposed treaty aimed to create transparency in mineral supply chains—a crucial step toward addressing the devastating environmental and social impacts of mining for materials needed in renewable energy technologies and military applications. These impacts include widespread forest destruction, river contamination, and land seizures from Indigenous communities. As demand for critical minerals surges to support the global transition to clean energy, the need for accountability has become increasingly urgent.

According to Julia Peña Niño from the Natural Resource Governance Institute, the heated negotiations reflected “both the urgency to act and the political complexity of addressing the various facets of minerals value chains.” Critics suggest that national security concerns and economic interests ultimately derailed the traceability treaty, prioritizing short-term gains over environmental protection.

While the current resolution merely calls for enhanced international dialogue and cooperation on mineral governance, some organizations remain hopeful that the next UN Environment Assembly in December 2027 could revive discussions for a comprehensive global minerals treaty. The complex web of geopolitics, intricate supply chains, and governance challenges makes mineral tracking difficult—but potentially essential for preventing further environmental devastation in our race toward renewable energy.