Statement from CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory and NEC Director Brian Deese on Sustainable Critical Minerals Alliance Announcement at COP15

The United States is pleased to join the Sustainable Critical Minerals Alliance in partnership with Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Japan. As the world transitions to a clean energy economy, demand for key critical minerals for everything from electric vehicle batteries and motors to solar panels and wind turbines is set to increase dramatically.

The United States is committed, both domestically and internationally, to sustainable mining standards that reflect our commitment to fighting climate change while protecting and respecting workers, human rights, communities, and the environment. Doing business with the United States means upholding these standards.

The Biden-Harris Administration will continue to go even further here at home, and has made securing a just, reliable, and sustainable critical mineral supply chain a priority since day one. Executive Order 14017, America’s Supply Chains, directs Federal agencies to strengthen critical mineral and advanced battery supply chains by expanding domestic production including mining, processing, and recycling.

Earlier this year the Biden-Harris Administration launched the Interagency Working Group on Mining Laws, Regulations, and Permitting to provide recommendations for ensuring domestic production meets these strong standards while improving permitting processes and providing permitting certainty. The Administration released fundamental principles for mining reform to guide this work and will issue a report in the coming months outlining additional recommendations generated from public comment, Tribal consultation, and technical experts.

At the recent White House Tribal Nations Conference, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture announced new actions to ensure Tribal rights and interests are protected, increase Tribal engagement in mining proposals, and promote mining practices that account for climate change and current standards and technologies. The U.S. is committed to ensuring that prior, robust, and meaningful Tribal consultation is a part of all responsible development standards for mining of which it is a part.

The Biden-Harris Administration looks forward to working with the Alliance to advance world-class environmental standards, strong labor protections, and early and meaningful community engagement and Tribal consultation while securing reliable and diverse supply chains for critical minerals necessary for the energy transition. 

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