King & Wood Mallesons’ Post

With the US–Australia critical minerals agreement now getting the green light, it feels like the right moment to ask: how do we gear up Australia–US projects to meet that opportunity? That question was front of mind at the 2025 Australian Dialogue on Sustainability Governance, hosted by UN Global Compact Network Australia and Allens, where so many of the conversations seemed to sync perfectly with the headlines. If there was a thread running through the day, it was trust under pressure. - From the banking perspective, Andrew Strongman (Westpac) and Nicole Roocke (Minerals Research Institute of WA) talked about ESG as a trust currency, one that investors now weigh just as heavily as returns. - From the land perspective, Dwayne Mallard on the native title panel explored the contradiction between speed and responsibility – how the urgency of the energy transition can clash with the time it takes to build genuine relationships. - And from the tech side, the AI workshop was a standout: lawyers and industry teams role-played a hypothetical corruption case involving an autonomous mining agent. It asked, would an agent be susceptible to bribery? And what corruption risks might these systems be exposed to – and who would we hold to account? All of it underscored that Australia’s role in the critical minerals story isn’t about being the biggest or the fastest – it’s about being the most trusted. #CriticalMinerals #ESG #SustainabilityGovernance #AIethics #GreenMetals #Mining #Australia #UNGCNA #Allens #Trust #Governance #SocialLicence #USAustraliaRelations

Transparency reduces counterparty risk and supports premium contracting 🔎✨ Last week, in our Weekly Insight, we opened discussion on the paperwork-heavy workflow for bio-LNG. As an increasing number of players enter the lower emission fuel markets, discrepencies in emissions data and certification quality can vary. Ahti Climate helps bunkering companies move past checkbox compliance toward strategic emissions stewardship: simplified reporting, and verifiable claims that strengthen commercial negotiations. That trust converts into 🩵 higher usage, 🩵 longer-term contracts, 🩵 improved market positioning   To learn more: https://lnkd.in/dU8rVAwJ #biolng #compliance #maritime #fueleu #ets

Urgent Update: The Billion-Dollar Critical Minerals Agreement Between Australia and the United States This landmark agreement highlights the urgency to strengthen secure, ethical supply chains and accelerate innovation in critical minerals — sectors vital to both nations’ strategic industries and clean energy futures. As Dr Jacqui Coombes, Chair of our Board, noted: “The CMCI CRC was designed to close the value-adding gap the Framework now brings into sharp focus.” Read more on how our initiatives are advancing this mission: https://lnkd.in/gR2EVPQN Neville Plint Jacques Eksteen Helen Degeling Aleks Nikoloski James Vaughan Andrew Bell

The announcement of a United States–Australia Critical Minerals Framework marks a defining moment for our sector and for Australia’s role in global #supplychain #resilience. The CMCI CRC was conceived precisely for this purpose: to build the sovereign capability, technology pathways, and workforce capacity that allow Australia to move from extraction to value-adding and manufacturing in critical minerals and metals. This new framework underscores the urgency and relevance of the CMCI CRC’s mission: 1. To deliver research, development, innovation and deployment that de-risks investment across the #refining, #processing, and #advancedManufacturing value chain; 2. To strengthen #sovereign supply-chain #resilience by connecting Australian expertise with global partners, including those now formally linked under this agreement; and 3.To develop the next generation of #talent, ensuring that our national critical minerals strategy is underpinned by world-class #capability. As the CRC proposal moves through assessment, this bilateral framework provides strong validation that the CMCI CRC is the right initiative at the right time. The consortium’s partners span industry, research, and government and have already demonstrated Australia’s capacity to deliver solutions in refining technologies, traceability, and low-emission processing. The Framework now provides the international context in which this capability can scale. On behalf of the Critical Metals for Critical Industries CRC bid partners, I commend both governments for this decisive step and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that Australia plays a leadership role in the secure, sustainable, and value-adding development of the world’s critical minerals. Neville Plint Dr Paul Dalby PhD GIA (Affiliated) Alan Bye Mark Woffenden Jacques Eksteen Aleksandar Nikoloski James Vaughan Helen Degeling Erik Isokangas Nicole Roocke Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) Dominic Da Cruz Sue Harrison Bernadette Spinks Bridgette Semple

Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is championing ethical governance to unlock sustainable development in Nigeria’s and Africa's energy future. #Hydrocarbon #Compliance https://lnkd.in/eCbX_S68

The just energy transition presents South Africa with a significant opportunity, but only if law and governance keep pace. Over 130 mining-led renewable projects are underway. Courts are enforcing stricter climate and environmental scrutiny. New beneficiation policy could strain an already fragile grid. The stakes are high: stranded communities, investor flight, or, with the right reforms, a resilient, low-carbon economy. Explore the full article: https://bit.ly/3JXPh99 #JustEnergyTransition #MiningLaw #ESGCompliance #EnergyLaw #BishopFraser

Policy uncertainty once again took center stage at International Maritime Organization, where member states voted to adjourn a crucial MEPC meeting last month. The Net-Zero Framework is now hanging in the balance, and the North-East Atlantic #ECA faces a delay of at least six months as collateral damage. Short-term momentum remains with conventional marine fuels, especially 0.5%-sulfur fuel oil. Climate and air quality have taken a back seat to geopolitics for now. What’s emerging is a more complex energy landscape: LNG’s competitiveness would rely on the forecast supply increase and support from some major shipowning countries, flag states and fossil fuel producers, while #biofuels and e-fuels face scaling and cost challenges. Global frameworks and market economics will need to converge if shipping is to decarbonize at pace without fragmenting trade and compliance systems. https://lnkd.in/eABPBmp7 #Shipping #EnergyTransition #oott #MaritimeDecarbonization #IMO #Bunkers #Methanol #LNG S&P Global #ammonia #hydrogen

Commentary on GB Guarantees of Origin pricing: 📉 The REGO market’s appetite for sporadic liquidity continued into this week with a burst of selling coming in on Thursday, sending CP25 WSH prices from around the £0.95 level to trade down to £0.85 / MWh within a matter of hours. Activity for the current compliance period, CP24, remained subdued with a number of corporates waiting for market movement (or internal approval) before executing tidy-up trades in relatively small volumes. CP26 Wind Solar Hydro saw some selling pressure on Wednesday, with the contract trading down to £1.86 /MWh, a drop of 7% on the week. The Biomass market for CP26 onwards is non-existent with upcoming regulatory changes and concerns over general GO market sentiment in the longer term keeping REGO players on the sidelines. A fair market discount of around 0.25 to WSH would put CP26 Bio in the £1.55 to 1.65/MWh range. The next e-REGO auction scheduled for Thursday 20 November will have a significantly lower reserve price than in previous rounds. CP24 REGOs have a recommended minimum reserve of £0.20 /MWh in an attempt to boost bidding interest. Commentary on EU Guarantees of Origin pricing:📉 Generic European GOs in the AIB were seen drifting lower for much of the week in very thin volume. For 2025, €0.25 /MWh could now be fair value but offers around that level are also being heard. The whole of the forward curve through into the next decade is below the psychological €1 /MWh level, which tells a story on market sentiment for Guarantees of Origin across Europe. The oversupply in the GO market is set to fall as stronger demand and lower supply erode the record surplus, according to Veyt. With an oversupply of certificates estimated at 260 TWh this year (representing a 25% overhang) demand growth would need to exceed the current growth rate of 18% to bring the market into balance. An expected 4% year-on-year drop in issuance supply and hydropower volumes slightly below last year’s levels could also eat into the surplus. A market plagued by uncertainty is unlikely to see a significant recovery any time soon, but 2026 and 2027 could prove to be the pivot point for GO balances. Sources: Veyt; Montel. We are Salamander, here for anything you need 🦎 www.salamander-broking.com Dave Ball Tom Macallan Tom Gaunce

Nigeria is among the countries expected to benefit from a new $100 million methane reduction investment announced by Michael Bloomberg, aimed at improving satellite monitoring and supporting policy actions to curb harmful emissions. Follow https://lnkd.in/e4uBMbpE for more updates.

The flow of US #LNG to European markets could be upended unless the EU quickly throttles back its new #methane limits and corporate reporting regulations, top industry executives warned this week. #lngtrade #policyandregulation #lngsupply #lngdemand