Resilient Rare Earths: Pathways for the G20

The economic logic of globalisation resulted in a redistribution of global wealth but also led to an overconcentration of supply chains in particular geographies, as is the case with Rare Earth (RE) supply chains. Supply chain monopolies are valuable instruments to exploit the one-sided dependence of the international economy in a state in pursuance of their political and military goals. The overconcentration of RE supply chain has also been weaponised and used for both benign political influence and coercive political leverage. RE are concentrated in specific states. This Brief addresses the problem of preventing RE monopolisation by any state for the G20. RE is not merely an issue of control of a critical resource; it is equally concerned with creating resilient supply chains that enable shared benefits for the world and are indispensable to the G20’s agenda.