The mining industry has a crucial role to play in supplying the minerals and metals that are essential for the ongoing global clean energy transition. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a concerted effort to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement would require a quadrupling of critical mineral requirements for clean energy technologies by 2040. An even faster transition, to hit net-zero globally by 2050, would require six times more mineral inputs in 2040 than today. The mining sector must reposition itself to supply these critical minerals, while ensuring they are extracted and traded in a responsible manner.

Within this context, the 18th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) will convene with a focus on the theme “Critical Minerals and the Energy Transition.” Meeting in various sessions, the AGM will consider important sub-themes, including:

• accelerating decarbonization;
• building resilient supply chains;
• community resilience in a just transition;
• environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and responsible mining;
• government readiness for modern policy and regulatory frameworks;
• re-mining for critical minerals and land restoration;
• critical minerals and the future of resource taxation;
• women in the future of mining;
• integrating social and community considerations in mine closure and post-mining transition;
• managing artisanal and small-scale gold mining; and
• environmental and social impact assessment policy diagnostics.

In addition, during the lunch breaks, informational sessions will convene on the following topics:

• the findings from the first phase of Women and the Mine of the Future project, undertaken by the IGF and partners, which seeks to establish a baseline gender-disaggregated dataset on large-scale mining employment;
• a UN policy brief on Transforming Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development; and
• local content policies, with a focus on the IGF’s macroeconomic risk training tool and new data from key mining projects in Africa.

The IGF serves as a global platform for dialogue among its member governments from 80 countries, as well as other stakeholders from mining companies, industry associations, civil society, and non-governmental and international organizations. Launched in 2005, since 2011 the IGF’s work has been framed by its flagship policy guidance and assessment tool, the Mining Policy Framework, which identifies best practices through six pillars of mining policy and law: the legal and policy environment; financial benefit optimization; socioeconomic benefit optimization; environmental management; mine closure and post-mining transitions; and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM).

IGF AGM-18 will be held from 8-10 November 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin will provide daily updates on the proceedings, as well as a comprehensive report summary following the conclusion of the meeting.

On Monday 07 November the IGF hosted government delegates for a one-day workshop focused on the evolving needs of its member countries. The Secretariat used the occasion to officially welcome Togo to the IGF, representing its 80th member country.

Secretariat staff summarized IGF activities from the preceding year and outlined its plans for 2023 and beyond, including updating the IGF’s cornerstone Mining Policy Framework. In regional groups, delegates then discussed issues around critical minerals and the energy transition, gender and mine closure, as well as, mine relinquishment. The Secretariat also surveyed participants about their priority needs on mining governance issues.