22:00 - 12.06.2026

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June 12, Fineko/abc.az. According to the June Global Trade Update published by the UN Trade and Development body (UNCTAD), the rapid shift toward clean energy systems and electrification has placed critical minerals at the epicenter of industrial policies and geopolitical competition.

According to ABC.AZ, summarizing the core data vector of the UN repository:

• Demand Projections: By 2040, global demand for lithium is forecasted to surge by 350%, while graphite demand is set to expand by over 130%.

• Supply Concentration: Supply chains remain heavily centralized. The Democratic Republic of the Congo yields 74% of global cobalt, China commands 78% of natural graphite output, and Australia, Chile, and China collectively account for 70% of global lithium production.

• Protectionist Interventions: To secure domestic capacity, governments have rolled out nearly 100 different export-restrictive measures on critical minerals since 2020.

UNCTAD notes that an increasingly fragmented regulatory system risks driving prices up, complicating corporate investment strategies, and placing undue pressure on developing economies.