Project

Mistra Mineral Governance

Active project

2024–2028

The urgent need to transition to a fossil-free economy is increasing demand for minerals, many of which are perceived as critical for the energy transition. A rapid expansion in extraction is likely to conflict with other societal goals, including environmental protection and human rights. At the same time, policymakers lack the knowledge and decision-support tools needed to mitigate or address these trade-offs.

There is an urgent need to improve actionable understanding of:

which minerals are critical under future socio-technological scenarios
who defines what is considered critical from a societal perspective
how governments can reconcile mineral policies with democratic values and effective governance

The Mistra Mineral Governance research programme expands the solution space by addressing these complex challenges. By identifying pathways towards both secure and equitable access to raw materials, the programme contributes to a sustainable transition that strengthens European and Swedish competitiveness.

Work packages

The work is organized in four work packages (WPs) that move the research frontier and co-create innovative solutions to benefit society.

Supply chain systems: assesses raw material criticality, including how criticality for different resources can develop in the future depending on how new technologies and ways to reduce criticality in the longer term.
Geopolitics of critical raw materials: explores the trade-off between security perceptions and supply chain dependencies, as well as the tensions between economic statecraft and market forces.
Critical appraisal of goal conflicts: adopts a critical social science approach to explore critical raw material goal conflicts as reflective of normative tensions between value systems of global significance.
Policy and governance: focuses on increasing knowledge on trade-offs in the national and global politics and governance of critical raw materials, with recommendations for Swedish government and international institutions.

SEI leads WP3 and contributes to the other WPs.

A white robotic arm hovers over the chassis of an electric car vehicle, with 8 battery packs on the base of the vehicle connected with orange wires, four tires, and the metal and glass of a clean room in the background.

Expanding battery production enables fast technology response to mineral criticality

Journal article / Rapid EV battery growth enables fast shifts in technology, reducing mineral criticality risks and broadening future supply pathways.

17 March 2026 / About Supply chains and Transport

An overhead view of lithium ponds, light blue and green in sharp arcs, on a tan desert surface.

Human rights and environmental due diligence in the green transition: toward greater accountability amid geopolitical and sustainability challenges

Other publication / Mistra Geopolitics research shows if the EU proposal on due diligence were to be adopted, it would weaken recent human rights and environmental regulation.

10 March 2025 / About Geopolitics, Public policy and Supply chains

View of a mine from above in a snow covered landscape in northern Sweden at sunset

What do the EU’s new rules on corporate due diligence mean for Sámi rights and mining in Sweden?

SEI working paper / Learn how the new EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive could affect mining projects and Sámi rights in northern Sweden.

3 October 2024 / About Business and Land use