Critical Minerals Development and Carbon Emission Intensity: A Global Case

Exploring the impact of the use of a country’s critical mineral resources on the intensity of carbon emissions can help to optimize the supply chain of critical minerals in various countries, especially in ASEAN countries, to ensure supply chain security and to promote sustainable development. This chapter explores the impact of using key minerals on carbon dioxide emission intensity in 41 countries worldwide from 2010 to 2020. It explores the impact paths in terms of energy intensity and green technology progress. The findings show that the use of key minerals contributes to reducing carbon emission intensity and thus promotes the low-carbon development of the global economy, and the results still hold under a series of robustness tests. The mechanism of action study finds that the use of key minerals is expected to reduce carbon emission intensity by reducing energy intensity and promoting the development of green innovative technologies. The results from the heterogeneity analysis show that countries with low endowments of key minerals and those located downstream of the energy value chain are more effective in reducing carbon emissions. This chapter provides some policy implications aimed at promoting green mineral development, accelerating green technology innovation, and strengthening regional policy synergies and international cooperation to safeguard the security and sustainable development of ASEAN’s critical mineral supply chain.