Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Francis Fannon and Canadian Associate Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Shawn Tupper signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today in Washington, D.C. on energy mineral resources. The United States and Canada recognize global demand for energy minerals will increase dramatically in the coming years and this MoU provides an important framework for cooperation in addressing these complex challenges.

The MoU between the United States and Canada is the second of its kind to come out of the new Energy Resources Governance Initiative (ERGI), which the U.S. Department of State launched in June. ERGI participant countries met on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly on September 26.

ERGI reflects the increasing global urgency to develop best practices for sustainable energy mineral development underpinning clean energy technologies. ERGI countries advance governance principles, share best practices, and encourage a level playing field for development and trade of critical energy minerals. The new MoU: 1) promotes responsible and sustainable mining practices in the energy mineral sector; 2) supports resilient supply chains of energy minerals by facilitating trade and industry connectivity; and 3) establishes measures to meet expected demand for clean energy technologies including financial institutions’ involvement in mining and processing projects.

For more information about the Energy Resources Governance Initiative, see:

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Energy-Resource-Governance-Initiative-Fact-Sheet.pdf

For further information, contact Donald Kilburg, spokesperson for the Bureau of Energy Resources, at KilburgDF@america.gov or visit www.state.gov/e/enr. Additional information is available on Twitter at @EnergyAtState.