The EU’s dependency on critical materials: meeting decarbonisation targets in the context of geopolitical risks

The economic transformation required to reach global net zero goals relies on the mining and transformation of certain minerals and metals for the production of low-carbon technologies. Increasing global demand for these critical materials, combined with their uneven geographical distribution, raise potential supply issues that pose economic security and transition risks for the European Union. This report sets out the nature of the challenge, the policy responses and ways forward for the bloc.