The Government has joined 32 countries in endorsing a new International Energy Agency declaration on critical minerals security, signalling an intent to work more closely with partners on supply chains that underpin modern energy systems.

Energy Minister Simon Watts signed the declaration at the IEA ministerial meeting in Paris, saying it recognises the strategic importance of minerals such as lithium, rare earth elements, vanadium and antimony to the clean‑energy transition, and calls for timely action to diversify refining and processing.

New Zealand is already part of the IEA’s Critical Minerals Security Programme, which focuses on supply security, market transparency, responsible sourcing, data and innovation. The new declaration asks the IEA to go further: expand secure data collection and market monitoring, provide rapid assessments of market shocks, support coordinated responses to export restrictions, assist countries that choose to build stockpiles, run regular emergency exercises, expand its diversification dashboard, and accelerate innovation in recycling, recovery and substitution.

At home, Resources Minister Shane Jones framed the country’s mineral occurrences and technology firms as a platform for a bigger role in international supply chains, including recovery of minerals from by‑products and low‑impact processes that support a circular economy. He described the resources as strategic assets for economic resilience and international partnerships, and said New Zealand’s environmental, social and governance settings position it as a transparent and reliable supplier.

What the announcement does not include is a list of domestic projects, new funding, changes to permitting or environmental settings, or a decision on whether New Zealand will hold strategic stockpiles of critical minerals. Those details will matter if ministers want investment to move at the pace suggested by the declaration.

The Government’s message is clear: demand for critical minerals is rising, supply chains need to be more resilient, and New Zealand wants to be part of that system. The next test will be how that intent translates into local development pathways and international offtake and processing partnerships.