Cécile Pelaudeix’s presentation at the AIA Colloquium addressed the growing importance of critical raw materials for the European Union and the policy challenges that arise from this. Due to geopolitical shifts, the energy transition, and the growing need for technology, demand for raw materials such as lithium, copper, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements is rising sharply. These materials are indispensable for the green transition, the electronics industry, and the defense sector. Since the EU is almost entirely dependent on imports for many of these raw materials, there are significant risks posed by market and supply concentration as well as potential export restrictions. To secure its supply of raw materials, the EU adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) in 2024. By 2030, 10% of critical raw materials are to be mined within the EU, 40% processed, and 25% recycled. In addition, numerous strategic projects and international partnerships—including with Canada, Greenland, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—have been initiated. Cécile Pelaudeix sees this as a shift toward a more geostrategically oriented raw materials policy. At the same time, she emphasized that public acceptance of new mining projects is crucial to the law’s success. In her project, she compares the political impacts of the CRMA in Greenland and Sweden.

The aim of the study is to analyze whether the implementation of the law fosters political polarization, populist movements, or conflicts with indigenous communities. The preliminary results show that there is no significant polarization in Greenland regarding the issue of mining. While the topic was extensively debated during the 2021 election, there is now broad consensus on its economic importance. To date, there have been no indications of a democratic deficit or systematic rejection by the indigenous population. In Sweden, the CRMA is supported by the government, but conflicts persist regarding the rights of the indigenous Sámi people as well as regional conflicts of interest between northern and southern Sweden. Cécile Pelaudeix concluded by noting that securing critical raw materials is essential for the EU, but that its success depends largely on societal acceptance, the equitable participation of affected populations, and the protection of indigenous rights.