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Critical Minerals in the Arctic: Forging the Path Forward
On July 12 and 13, the Wilson Center, in partnership with the University of Alaska, Department of Energy's Arctic Energy Office, and RAND Corporation, hosted a two-day dialogue on critical minerals in the North American Arctic. The dialogue developed policy recommendations for development of critical mineral resources in the Arctic in the context of US national security, energy, climate, and technology goals.
Overview
This dialogue was solutions-oriented, and produced actionable policy and investment recommendations. There were three distinct elements of the agenda: six individual working sessions, focusing on community ownership, financing, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, supply chains, and workforce development; a tabletop exercise quantifying risk prioritization in minerals development, and three public keynote sessions.
Proceedings from the tabletop exercise and briefs from the working sessions will be publicly available once finalized.
This dialogue built upon the inaugural August 2022 conference, entitled Alaska's Minerals: A Strategic National Imperative, hosted by the University of Alaska, US Arctic Research Commission, and Wilson Center.
Agenda
Day 1 Agenda
0900 to 0915 ET | Opening Remarks Watch the Video
- Dr. Rebecca Pincus, Director, Polar Institute, Wilson Center
- Pat Pitney, President, University of Alaska
0915 to 1015 | Scene-Setter Panel: The Clean Energy Transition in the United States (available live via webstream)
- Dr. Emily J. Holland, Assistant Professor, Strategic and Operational Research Department, US Naval War College
- Dr. Erin Whitney, Director, Arctic Energy Office, US Department of Energy
- Dr. Duncan Wood, Vice President for Strategy & New Initiatives, Wilson Center
- moderated by Dr. Mike Sfraga, Chair & Distinguished Fellow, Polar Institute, Wilson Center; Chair, US Arctic Research Commission
1015 to 1045 | Keynote Remarks (available live via webstream)
- Dr. David Applegate, Director, U.S. Geological Survey
1100 to 1300 | Working Sessions(available only to in-person participants)
- What infrastructure is needed to develop these critical minerals?
- What are the characteristics of an optimal regulatory framework?
1315 to 1530 | Tabletop Exercise (available only to in-person participants)
Day 2 Agenda
0900 to 0905 | Welcome Remarks (available live via webstream)
- Ambassador Mark A. Green, President & CEO, Wilson Center
0905 to 0935 | Keynote Discussion (available live via webstream)
- Senator Lisa Murkowski, US Senator from Alaska
- moderated by Pat Pitney, President, University of Alaska
935 to 0950 | Tabletop Readout (available live via webstream)
- Dr. Abbie Tingstad, Associate Director, Management, Technology, and Capabilities Program, RAND Homeland Security Research Division, Codirector, Climate Resilience Center, Senior Physical Scientist, RAND Corporation
1015 to 1215 | Working Sessions (available only to in-person participants)
- How to finance critical minerals from ground to market?
- How to recruit the necessary workforce and expertise?
1315 to 1415 | Panel on Critical Minerals in the North American Arctic (available live via webstream)
- Dr. Lance Miller, Vice President of Natural Resources, NANA Regional Corporation
- Dr. Heather Exner-Pirot, Senior Fellow and Director of Natural Resources, Energy and Environment, Macdonald-Laurier Institute
- Kenneth Høegh, Head of Greenland Representation, Washington, DC
- moderated by Dr. Rebecca Pincus, Director, Polar Institute, Wilson Center
1415 to 1615 | Working Sessions (available only to in-person participants)
- What does community ownership of critical minerals look like?
- How to develop supply chains around critical minerals?
1620 to 1630 | Concluding Remarks (available live via webstream)
- Dr. Mike Sfraga, Chair, Polar Institute, Wilson Center; Chair, US Arctic Research Commission
Related Publications
Critical Minerals in the Arctic: Forging the Path Forward by Brett Watson, Steven Masterman, and Erin Whitney
Overcoming Remoteness: Innovations to Support Economic Development, Critical Minerals, and Security in the Arctic by Heather Exner-Pirot
America’s Military Depends on Minerals That China Controls by Morgan D. Bazilian, Emily J. Holland, and Joshua Busby
Militaries, Metals, and Mining by Fabian Villalobos and Morgan Bazilian
- U.S. Governance on Critical Minerals by Sharon Burke and Claire Doyle
Hitting the Target: How Can America Reach its EV Goals? by Duncan Wood, Alexandra Helfgott, and Erik Romanin
The Mosaic Approach: a Multidimensional Strategy for Strengthening America's Critical Minerals Supply Chain by Duncan Wood, Alexandra Helfgott, Mary D'Amico, and Erik Romanin
Latin America’s Lithium: Critical Minerals and the Global Energy Transition by Ana Elizabeth Bastida, John D. Graham, John A. Rupp, Henry Sanderson, and Patricia I. Vásquez
Hosted By
Polar Institute
Since its inception in 2017, the Polar Institute has become a premier forum for discussion and policy analysis of Arctic and Antarctic issues, and is known in Washington, DC and elsewhere as the Arctic Public Square. The Institute holistically studies the central policy issues facing these regions—with an emphasis on Arctic governance, climate change, economic development, scientific research, security, and Indigenous communities—and communicates trusted analysis to policymakers and other stakeholders. Read more
Environmental Change and Security Program
The Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP) explores the connections between environmental change, health, and population dynamics and their links to conflict, human insecurity, and foreign policy. Read more
Canada Institute
The mission of the Wilson Center's Canada Institute is to raise the level of knowledge of Canada in the United States, particularly within the Washington, DC policy community. Research projects, initiatives, podcasts, and publications cover contemporary Canada, US-Canadian relations, North American political economy, and Canada's global role as it intersects with US national interests. Read more
Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition
The Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition works to shape conversations and inspire meaningful action to strengthen technology, trade, infrastructure, and energy as part of American economic and global leadership that benefits the nation and the world. Read more
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