Critical materials and supply chain management in green and low-carbon transition

 

Guest editors

 Gang Liu, Peking University, China

 Oliver Heidrich, Newcastle University, United Kingdom

 Wu Chen, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

 Alexandre Nomine, Université de Lorraine, France

 Yang Qiu, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, United States

 Takuma Watari, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan

 

Background

The green and low-carbon transition is becoming global imperative in addressing climate change and achieving global Sustainable Development Goals. This transformation is driven by the adoption of renewable energy, electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage technologies, and carbon capture solutions. Manufacturing advanced batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, and other key components of low-carbon technologies, however, rely on critical materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements.

The global supply chain security of these materials has attracted increasing political and industry attention due to their uneven geographical distribution and expected demand surge.  For example, over 70% of the global cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo and more than 80% of cobalt refining takes place in China. Similar patterns are observed for other critical materials, such as nickel with Indonesia and Russia dominating production.

The vulnerabilities of these supply chains are further exacerbated by the on-going geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions, and economic instability across the world. The regional dependencies on the production side expose supply chains to heightened risks of disruption due to regional conflicts, sanctions, or restrictive trade policies.  Recent events, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted such fragility of global supply chains. The war disrupted nickel supplies, critical for EV batteries, while the pandemic caused widespread logistical bottlenecks and delays in material transportation. These disruptions not only threaten the deployment of low-carbon technologies but also increase costs and delay progress toward climate goals.

The complex interdependencies among critical materials, such as the nickel-copper-cobalt nexus, further amplify these challenges. Cobalt, for instance, is primarily produced as a by-product of nickel and copper mining, making its availability heavily dependent on the production of these carrier metals. As demand for nickel and copper stabilizes or declines, the supply of cobalt faces additional constraints.  

Climate change itself poses additional threats to the stability of supply chains. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events disrupts production, transportation, and logistics, further straining already fragile systems. At the same time, the growing adoption of digital technologies, such as data centers and artificial intelligence systems, has increased the demand for critical materials needed for high-performance computing infrastructure, compounding resource competition.  

Critical material extraction and processing often come with significant environmental and social costs as well. Mining operations often lead to land degradation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss, with severe impacts on local ecosystems and communities. Many mining activities in low-income regions are associated with exploitative labor practices, child labor, human rights violations, and unsafe working conditions. These challenges highlight the urgent need for ethical and sustainable practices in critical material supply chains.  

To address these interconnected challenges, there is a pressing need to establish stable, resilient, and sustainable global supply chains for critical materials. Achieving this goal requires international collaboration, robust policy frameworks, as well as science and technological innovation. By diversifying sourcing strategies, investing in recycling and circular economy initiatives, and promoting transparency and equity in resource management, it is possible to build a supply chain system that supports the global green and low-carbon transition while minimizing environmental and social impacts. Such efforts are vital not only for meeting climate targets but also for fostering global economic stability and inclusivity.  

Aim and Scope

Based on this background, this special issue seeks to explore the vulnerabilities of critical material supply chains and propose international collaboration and interdisciplinary solutions that enhance their resilience, sustainability, and equity. By fostering collaboration among researchers and stakeholders including but not limited to engineering, management, economics, geography, and social sciences, this issue aims to advance global efforts toward a sustainable green transition. We welcome original research and review articles on the following (but not limited to) topics:

· Multi-level (world, regional, national, and sub-national) critical material cycles

· Multi-level security and/or risk assessment for critical material supply chains

· Global and regional supply chain management of critical materials and green technologies

· Resource and waste management for renewable energy technologies and infrastructure

· The implications of material substitution and innovation for green technologies

· Theories, methods, and data for secondary critical materials assessment and recycling

· Circular economy concepts, business models, and cases in critical material sustainability

· Impact of policies, regulations, and economics on material criticality and sustainability

· ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) for critical materials and green technologies

· Biodiversity and sustainable mining and refining industry

· Social equity and justice in critical material and green technology supply chain

· The role of education, research, and development in global critical materials supply chain

· Interdisciplinary methods and innovations in critical materials management

· Artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and critical materials management

 

Submission Guidelines

To submit a manuscript, please visit https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/fem. Under “Manuscript Type”, please select “Critical Materials”. All manuscripts will be peer-reviewed in accordance with the established policies and procedures of the journal. Papers will be selected for publication following the outcome of the peer review process.

 

Important dates

 Submission deadline: 30 October, 2025

 Final decision notification: February 28, 2026

 Expected publication date: March 2026 (to be determined by the journal editor)

 

 

Contact information

 Gang Liu, Professor, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences and Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Peking University (gangliu@pku.edu.cn)

 Oliver Heidrich, Professor, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, United Kingdom (oliver.heidrich@newcastle.ac.uk)

 Wu Chen, Assistant Professor, Department of Green Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark (wuc@igt.sdu.dk)

 Alexandre Nomine, Associate Professor, Faculty of Physics, Université de Lorraine, France (alexandre.nomine@univ-lorraine.fr)

 Yang Qiu, Earth Scientist, Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, United States (yang.qiu22@pnnl.gov)

 Takuma Watari, Senior Researcher, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan (watari.takuma@nies.go.jp)