Grounding critical minerals in values-centred approaches for just sustainability transitions

Riggs, RA; Langston, JD; Foran, T; Grigg, N; Mboringong, FA; Munera-Roldan, C; Chakori, S

Grounding critical minerals in values-centred approaches for just sustainability transitions

Riggs, RA Langston, JD Foran, T Grigg, N Mboringong, FA Munera-Roldan, C Chakori, S

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Publisher:: SPRINGER JAPAN KK
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE, 2026, 21, (1), pp. 305-323
Issue Date:: 2026-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Riggs, RA
dc.contributor.author	Langston, JD
dc.contributor.author	Foran, T
dc.contributor.author	Grigg, N
dc.contributor.author	Mboringong, FA
dc.contributor.author	Munera-Roldan, C
dc.contributor.author	Chakori, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5857-4742
dc.date.accessioned	2026-06-08T02:12:11Z
dc.date.available	2026-06-08T02:12:11Z
dc.date.issued	2026-01
dc.identifier.citation	SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE, 2026, 21, (1), pp. 305-323
dc.identifier.issn	1862-4065
dc.identifier.issn	1862-4057
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195246
dc.description.abstract	Growing demand for critical minerals to accelerate a global energy transition presents new challenges and opportunities for responsible mine exploration and mine development. Social innovations have not kept pace with investment in mineral development, putting the wellbeing and rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities at risk. Historical and ongoing injustices mean that without pro-active attention to these issues, critical mineral development may cause social and environmental harm and exacerbate existing inequalities. The 2022 Values Assessment conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-VA) shows that transitions towards just and sustainable futures depend on recognising and embedding diverse values into decision-making processes across all domains, including mining. Values-centred approaches seek to identify diverse and under-represented values and activate values-centred leverage points to overcome barriers, shift power, and explore alternative pathways towards justice and sustainability. In this paper, we argue that the governance of critical mineral development can learn from values-centred approaches to inform responsible and inclusive mining and exploration. We outline how values-centred approaches might help to address current shortfalls in mineral resource governance, and identify promising examples of activating values-centred leverage-points drawing from global examples. We critically advance values-centred approaches by considering power, knowledge, and capabilities, while also acknowledging the need for pragmatism in improving mineral resource governance. We identify potential change mechanisms for integrating values into policy and practice and call for more attention to plural values in the exploration and development of critical minerals for just transitions.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	SPRINGER JAPAN KK
dc.relation.ispartof	SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1007/s11625-025-01726-3
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.title	Grounding critical minerals in values-centred approaches for just sustainability transitions
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	21
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)/Institute For Sustainable Futures
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-06-08T02:12:09Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	21
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

Growing demand for critical minerals to accelerate a global energy transition presents new challenges and opportunities for responsible mine exploration and mine development. Social innovations have not kept pace with investment in mineral development, putting the wellbeing and rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities at risk. Historical and ongoing injustices mean that without pro-active attention to these issues, critical mineral development may cause social and environmental harm and exacerbate existing inequalities. The 2022 Values Assessment conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-VA) shows that transitions towards just and sustainable futures depend on recognising and embedding diverse values into decision-making processes across all domains, including mining. Values-centred approaches seek to identify diverse and under-represented values and activate values-centred leverage points to overcome barriers, shift power, and explore alternative pathways towards justice and sustainability. In this paper, we argue that the governance of critical mineral development can learn from values-centred approaches to inform responsible and inclusive mining and exploration. We outline how values-centred approaches might help to address current shortfalls in mineral resource governance, and identify promising examples of activating values-centred leverage-points drawing from global examples. We critically advance values-centred approaches by considering power, knowledge, and capabilities, while also acknowledging the need for pragmatism in improving mineral resource governance. We identify potential change mechanisms for integrating values into policy and practice and call for more attention to plural values in the exploration and development of critical minerals for just transitions.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195246