Host Organisation

SIRGE Coalition, Cultural Survival, IWGIA, Batani

Outline

Until recently, discussions around transition minerals focused primarily on their importance in sustaining and enabling a global energy transition away from fossil fuels. That framing is no longer accurate. In a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, governments around the world are now moving to secure and control mineral supply chains under the narratives of energy autonomy, national security, and economic competitiveness. At the same time, the pursuit of these minerals is increasingly tied to ensuring the accelerated expansion of Artificial Intelligence and its related infrastructure, as well as the renewed militarization and continued development of advanced defense systems such as drones and AI-based weapons platforms. With these new factors driving mineral demand,  Indigenous Peoples are now facing a triple convergence in which energy, AI, and defense are intensifying pressures for extraction and creating even greater risks for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and their territories. Furthermore,  this convergence is also leading to accelerated approvals, weakened environmental regulations, opaque bilateral mineral agreements, and the rise of a false dichotomy between respecting Indigenous Peoples' rights and the urgency of achieving economic security and climate objectives. In this context, this session aims to bridge the climate action conversation around transition minerals, to the new drivers, narratives and justifications behind the triple convergence that is threatening Indigenous Peoples' rights across the world at a new, and unprecedented scale and scope. During this session we aim to: Examine how the growing demand for minerals driven by the energy transition, AI and militarization is reshaping pressures on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and territories; Create a strategic dialogue between Indigenous Peoples, policymakers, and allied actors on the implications of this emerging convergence for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, including the rights to Free, Prior and Informed Consent and Self-determination, as well as its implications for the implementation of a just transition; Amplify the voices and perspectives of Indigenous leaders impacted by this growing convergence and the increased demand for transition minerals. Bridge the ongoing conversation at COP31 around Indigenous Peoples’ rights and a just transition, with the emerging threats associated with increased mineral demand for the expansion of AI and militarization.

Speakers

Bryan Bixcul, SIRGE Coalition

Djalma Ramalho, Cultural Survival

Surti Handayani, PPMAN

Matti Blindberg, Sámi Council

Languages

English, Spanish, Bahasa