New database on critical minerals trade launched to support clean energy transition

The Trade in Critical Minerals (TiCM) database, unveiled by the ADB and the WTO Secretariat on 20 November at the Trade and Investment House at the COP29 climate change conference  in Baku,  provides in one place up-to-date critical minerals trade data, related policies, and visualisations of trade patterns based on publicly available sources. Bilateral trade and tariff data are at the HS sub‑heading level and are sourced from WTO Analytical Databases. Trade policies are sourced from the WTO Trade Monitoring Database and the ePing trade measures platform, with links to HS codes. Data can be visualised as bar charts, tree maps, and network graphs, providing insights into the main trading partners, product specialization, and trade networks.

Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements are used in the production of batteries, wind turbines and electric vehicles, making them essential for the transition to clean energy. They therefore play an important role in objectives such as the tripling of renewable energy capacity and doubling of energy efficiency by 2030.

The joint effort by ADB and the WTO Secretariat aims to enhance transparency regarding critical minerals-related trade and policies across value chains, and thereby foster collaboration and support well-informed decision-making by policymakers and other stakeholders. The initiative will contribute to the development of sustainable, inclusive and resilient critical minerals supply chains for the clean energy transition.