Working Group Materials Security and the Climate Transition

The energy transition depends on large quantities of raw materials – from lithium and copper to rare earth elements. As demand rises, however, new challenges are emerging: geopolitical tensions, environmental impacts, and strategic dependencies are reshaping the global materials landscape. Building a climate transition that is also resilient requires looking beyond decarbonization alone. We need to secure access to the materials essential for green technologies, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and at the same time prevent new forms of inequality and ecological harm.

The Materials Security and the Climate Transition network brings together experts from academia, policy, and practice to address these issues. The network is developing a shared framework to integrate material security and resilience into climate strategies. At the heart of this effort is the question: how can we advance circular approaches – reduce, reuse, remanufacture, recycle – while ensuring strategic autonomy and social justice, both locally and globally, in the climate transition?

Through collaborative meetings, joint analyses, and a public-facing series of essays, the network is building awareness and perspectives for action. Its goal is to place material security and resilience firmly on the agenda as a key component of a just, sustainable, and competitive climate transition in the Dutch and European policy field.

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LinkedIn post about the announcement

Photo: Bas Czerwinski 

About this working group

Duration

April 2025 – present

Location

Netherlands (nationwide)

Parties involved

Technische Universiteit Delft, Materials innovation institute (M2i), Natuur & Milieu, The Netherlands Institute of International Relations “Clingendael”, Fair Resource Foundation