MEFadapt: the minerals–energy–food complex and transboundary climate risk

The move away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy is increasing the global demand for natural resources. At the same time, adapting to and coping with climate change, along with multiplying social, political, and economic instabilities, further intensify this demand.

Minerals, energy, and food (MEF) are key resources for the functioning of the global economy. They are extremely interdependent, simultaneously shaping and being shaped by the availability of water, land, and labor. As production and extraction of natural resources intensifies, minerals, food and energy systems are set to become even more complex and interconnected.

Key drivers of this trend include: 

Energy transition has intensified mining of critical minerals, such as copper, lithium, nickel, graphite, and cobalt, as renewable energy sources require higher amounts of minerals for production of batteries and solar photovoltaic cells than fossil fuel-based energy sources. These activities also require large amounts of energy, water, land, and labor. 

Overconsumption, coupled with rising incomes and shifting dietary patterns increases demand for energy and resource-intensive food products. This can lead to intensified agricultural activities and overuse of fertilizers, resulting in additional pressures on water, land and minerals. 

Climate change poses threats to production and distribution of natural resources. Extreme weather events and slow-onset changes affect production and processing sites, reducing access to, availability and quality of water, land and labor.

These risks cascade and cross borders disrupting global supply chains, financial flows and patterns of people’s movement. They often worsen local realities such as economic crises or political instability, posing systemic risks to societies, economies, and livelihoods. 

This makes the management of natural resources systems increasingly challenging with an urgent need for international collaboration and innovative ways of governance as current approaches can perpetuate power imbalance and dependency.