Climate Talks Turn to Risks of Extracting Critical Minerals

Nations are edging closer to sounding the alarm about the perils of extracting and processing critical minerals, as they seek to emphasize the transition away from fossil fuels shouldn’t be replaced by an adoption of dirty materials instead.

For the first time, countries have included language on critical minerals — and the risks associated with their extraction and processing — in a draft-decision text at the annual United Nations climate negotiations.

While there’s no guarantee the provision will be adopted when talks continue next week, the development underscores mounting concern about supply chains for copper, cobalt, nickel, lithium and ...