【世界经济论坛】确保能源转型的矿产安全：通过政策、投资和创新解锁价值链-2024.9_21页_2mb

Securing Minerals for the Energy Transition: Unlocking the Value Chain through Policy, Investment and Innovation
This white paper highlights the critical role of mineral resources in achieving the global energy transition and net-zero goals, emphasizing the need for collaboration, innovation, and targeted policies to address supply-demand imbalances. Key minerals such as copper, lithium, and rare earths are essential for technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels, but their supply may struggle to meet projected demand growth, which could reach 250% by 2030. Despite some progress in mining investments, supply pipelines remain insufficient, especially for secondary supply sources like recycling, due to limited end-of-life feedstock and long lead times. Market volatility and geopolitical risks further complicate investment decisions, necessitating systemic solutions to ensure sustainable and equitable access to critical minerals.

The paper identifies three main barriers: financial, enabling environment, and cross-cutting challenges. Financial barriers include high and uncertain capital expenditures, especially for early-stage mining projects, and insufficient business cases for scaling innovations. The enabling environment faces issues such as lengthy permitting processes, policy complexity, and lack of community engagement. Cross-cutting barriers encompass ESG standardization gaps, risks from evolving trade dynamics, and inadequate data transparency. To overcome these, the report proposes "unlocks" such as financial support, streamlined policies, and stakeholder collaboration.

Public-private partnerships are deemed vital for reducing investment risks and fostering innovation. Direct and indirect financial mechanisms like low-cost loans, tax credits, and credit guarantees can incentivize mining projects and innovation scale-up. For example, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Program Office and Sweden’s credit guarantee schemes aim to de-risk investments. Additionally, global initiatives like the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act and the UK’s Circular Critical Minerals Supply Chains fund are pivotal in accelerating supply and deployment. Strengthening ESG standards and improving data transparency across the value chain are also emphasized to build trust and coordinate efforts.

Improvements to the enabling environment involve reducing permitting timelines, harmonizing policies, and enhancing community engagement. Streamlined processes and clear regulatory frameworks can lower compliance costs and attract investments. Collaborative stakeholder efforts, including joint ventures and shared infrastructure, are recommended to distribute risks and costs while fostering innovation. For instance, partnerships between governments and mining companies can support infrastructure development, while industry-academia collaborations can drive technological readiness.

The report underscores the need for defining innovation priorities through accelerator programs and public funding initiatives. Countries like Canada and the EU have launched programs to support mining technology commercialization, while startups and smaller firms benefit from incubator support. Addressing skill shortages in the mining sector through education and re-skilling programs is also highlighted, with examples like the U.S. Mining Schools Act and EU-funded STEM initiatives. Financial actors are encouraged to develop instruments that mitigate risks and promote responsible investment.

The paper concludes with actionable steps for stakeholders, including governments, industry leaders, and financial institutions, to collaborate on systemic changes. These steps involve creating harmonized ESG standards, investing in infrastructure, and fostering innovation ecosystems. Multilateral cooperation and transparent data sharing are critical to addressing global supply chain fragmentation and ensuring long-term investment in critical minerals. The initiative calls for an inclusive global approach to build resilient supply chains and support the energy transition through sustainable practices and equitable access.