UN scientists propose a ‘global trust’ to safeguard critical minerals as trade tensions mount

(Press-News.org) Richmond Hill, Ontario— Amid intensifying trade wars, geopolitical tensions, and surging demand for AI and clean energy technologies, United Nations scientists and global experts have unveiled a bold proposal for a "Global Minerals Trust"—a cooperative, multilateral governance mechanism to ensure fair, sustainable, and conflict-free access to critical minerals. 

The Trust would include independent audit mechanisms—similar to those used by the International Atomic Energy Agency—to ensure environmental and social safeguards. Countries would retain full sovereignty over their resources while committing to prioritize mineral flows for green technologies and avoid politicized supply disruptions. 

The proposal is detailed in a Policy Brief by the United Nations University and a companion article in Science. The authors call for a paradigm shift in how the world manages the materials that power the green transition—treating minerals not as commodities to compete over, but rather as shared planetary assets to steward responsibly. 

“Without a shared framework, we risk deepening global inequalities, triggering unnecessary resource conflicts, and undermining our ability to deliver on climate goals,” said Prof. Saleem Ali, lead author and the Critical Minerals and Inclusive Energy Transition Lead at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). “The Global Minerals Trust would offer a new model for cooperative resource governance—depoliticizing trade, stabilizing prices, and prioritizing the green transition.” 

Published as G7 leaders prepare to meet in Kananaskis, Canada this month, the publications urge Canada to use its 2025 G7 presidency to champion the proposal and facilitate early-stage consensus among leading economies and producing nations. Canada’s rising interest in AI leadership, and its track record in responsible mining, environmental diplomacy, and multilateral engagement makes it a potential convenor, according to the authors. 

“Critical minerals are the backbone of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but they’re currently governed by systems that reward exploitation and exclusion rather than cooperation and sustainability,” said Prof. Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH and a former Vice President of the UN Environment Assembly Bureau, and co-author of the two publications. “We need to replace today's fractured, competitive, and extractive model with one rooted in transparency, justice, and long-term resilience.” 

The proposed Trust would serve as a neutral platform for coordinating the sale and trade of critical minerals—like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths—through transparent mechanisms, pooled investment, and benefit-sharing. It draws on successful international commodity governance efforts and builds on principles of Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources while embracing global stewardship. 

The Policy Brief, published by UNU-INWEH, outlines the potential roles of multilateral institutions, including the UN, G20, African Union, ASEAN, IGF, and World Bank, in operationalizing the Trust. It stresses the importance of including developing and resource-rich nations in both design and implementation. 

The accompanying Science article, co-authored by leading scholars and practitioners across multiple continents, further argues that the Trust could also enable circular economy models through leasing mechanisms, strategic stockpiles, and investment in mineral recycling—elements that are essential to reducing environmental harm. 

Together, these two publications advocate for catalyzing a new era of global cooperation—one in which access to the materials of the future is not dictated by power, but governed by principles. 

“Minerals for the green transition should not become the new oil—hoarded, weaponized, or fought over,” said Madani. “This is our opportunity to shift from extraction to stewardship, from fragmentation to fairness.” 

Read the Publications: 

Ali, S. H., Franks, D. M., Puppim de Oliveira, J. A., Madani, K., Gaffney, O., Anggraini, E., Wantchekon, L., Zeng, X. (2025). Global Minerals Trust could prevent inefficient and inequitable protectionist policies. Science. doi: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adv9841  

Ali S. H., Aczel M. R., Madani K. (2025) Building a Global Minerals Trust for a Just Green Transition, United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. doi: https://doi.org/10.53328//INR25SAL004  

Available for Interviews: 

Prof. Saleem Ali – Critical Minerals Lead, UNU-INWEH – saleem.ali@unu.edu  

Prof. Kaveh Madani – Director, UNU-INWEH – madani@unu.edu 

Dr. Miriam Aczel – Researcher, UNU-INWEH – miriam.aczel@unu.edu  

Media Contacts: 
Kyra Bowman, UNU Head of Communications, bowman@unu.edu    
Shooka Bidarian, Media and Journalism Fellow, Sustainability and Climate, shooka.bidarian@unu.edu 

 

 
 
 

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