Emerging Narratives? Persistent Injustices? Long-term monitoring of EU Energy Transition Narratives on Energy Transition Minerals and Metals (ETM)

Minerals and Metals such as neodymium, lithium, and cobalt are essential components in the global effort to transition towards a low-carbon energy system, crucial for mitigating climate change. However, recent scholarship underscores the profound risks associated with these materials, particularly concerning their impact on livelihoods, human rights, and perpetuation of neo-colonial dependencies. Studies highlighting these injustices often draw upon empirical case studies from resource extraction sites in the Global South. Yet, the role of debates and discourses originating in the Global North in shaping and exacerbating these issues remains underexplored, forming the central focus of this research. This study builds upon EU policies pertaining so called Energy Transition Minerals and Metals, aiming to trace the trajectory of debates surrounding this topic over recent decades and scrutinize how dimensions of injustice are embedded within these discourses. To comprehensively capture the spectrum of EU policy developments, narratives are employed as a methodological approach. Narratives encapsulate specific rationales that shape what actions are deemed feasible and acceptable, project and enforce classifications, differentiate between relevant and irrelevant issues, and delineate who is considered involved or excluded, thus intricately linking them to questions of power dynamics and justice and show which conceptions of nature or human-nature relationships are underlying. In addressing these inquiries, this research integrates narrative analysis with insights from Just Transition research and Energy Justice. The analytical approach unfolds in two stages: initially identifying narratives using elements from Hajer's Argumentative Discourse Analysis, and subsequently expanding the framework to encompass diverse dimensions of justice. The primary dataset comprises stakeholder documents on EU Energy Transition Minerals and Metals and Renewable Policies dating back to the 1970s, providing a robust foundation for longitudinal analysis. Ultimately, this study aims to offer a nuanced, long-term perspective on narratives surrounding Energy Transition Minerals and Metals, shedding light on the multidimensional aspects of (in)justice embedded within these narratives. By exploring how these narratives evolve and resonate within policy circles, this research contributes to broader discussions on equitable and sustainable energy transitions.