Australia, Chile and Finland's energy transition minerals policy: trends and implications

Global decarbonisation has increased energy transition mineral (ETM) demand for renewable energy technologies. Governments are devising policies on ETM value chains to increase their mineral reserves, maximise revenues and economic benefits, develop domestic expertise and value adding, and strengthen their international alliances. In parallel, they need to address the environmental, social and governance risks, legacies, and cumulative impacts of industrial expansion. Focusing on Australia, Chile, and Finland, we examine where these OECD countries focus their policies, interrogating whether they balance supply security and value chain opportunities, with social and environmental governance. We find a strong policy emphasis on industrial development and rapid growth. While environmental governance receives some attention, the governance of social impacts and issues is less developed. Historical mining industry emphasis shaped influential mining-focused “policy communities” in Australia and Chile, whereas Finland's policy community adopted a broader industrial ecosystems approach. Critical engagement policy networks contribute to broadening policy focus to encompass social and environmental governance, and Indigenous rights through innovations in policy. Examples include Chile's notion of industrial and environmental knowledge as a public good, and Finland's increased municipality powers. If implemented, including via Indigenous Free, Prior and Informed Consent, the policy innovations that critical engagement policy networks advance have the potential to help balance industrial growth and social and environmental priorities.