Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King will travel to Europe and the United Kingdom to promote Australia as a consistent critical minerals supplier that will help the world reach its net zero targets.
On this trip, King will hold bilateral talks with ministerial counterparts from Germany, the European Union, France and the UK. She will also participate in the International Energy Agency Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Summit on September 28 in Paris.
King will also consult with industry representatives across the continent, specifically those working in the automotive industry as they will rely on minerals such as lithium and copper to manufacture electric vehicles needed for the global energy transition.
“Australia has the critical minerals the world needs to help lower emissions and we have well established export supply chains built over decades through our iron ore and gas industries,” King said.
“Australia’s resources sector also has high environmental and social governance standards (ESG), and a global reputation as a stable and reliable export partner.”
King’s visit will serve as an opportunity for her to outline how Australia is working with the resources sector and is collaborating with international partners to diversify global supply chains.
King will also discuss how Australia is investing in critical minerals mining and processing, such as through the release of the Critical Minerals Strategy in June, which will provide a framework that the Federal Government will use to guide future policy decisions and maximise the national benefits of Australia’s critical minerals.
“The world’s clean energy transition will ride on the back of Australia’s critical minerals,” King said. “Critical minerals are crucial components of clean energy technologies such as batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage, as well as for wind farms and solar panels.”
