International Cooperation and Public Opinion About the Governance of Critical Materials

Abstract

Geopolitical tensions over access to critical materials, such as lithium and rare earths, have intensified over the past decade. This development is pushing states to adopt policies, shore up protectionism, and build alliances within and outside international organizations (IOs) to manage economic interdependence. Despite extensive research on critical materials in socio-technical and extractive industries literatures, it remains poorly understood how states regulate, address governance gaps, and cooperate and compete internationally on them. These knowledge gaps raise important questions about how, when, and with what consequences states engage in IOs, or act unilaterally or plurilaterally outside IOs to secure access to critical materials, and whether those choices are supported by greater publics. What strategies do states use to secure access and mitigate risks linked to economic interdependence? When do industrialized states use their market power to coerce others into trade solutions, and with what consequences? When and how do states adopt new domestic and international critical material policies? How do states balance environmental, human rights, security, and geopolitical priorities in their regulatory efforts? When do the greater public support these policy choices? This panel brings together diverse scholars offering empirical and theoretical contributions on international cooperation, non-cooperation, and the role of greater publics and IOs in the governance of critical materials. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, the papers offer insights into the domestic politics of international cooperation and competition over critical materials.

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