Behind the Extraction: Why a Just Energy Transition Must Include Kachin State, Myanmar

Jun 24, 2026 | Zung Ting
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Rare earth elements and other critical minerals have become indispensable to modern life. They power electric vehicles, wind turbines, advanced electronics, robotics, medical devices, semiconductors, and many of today's most sophisticated defense systems. As competition intensifies, the United States, European Union, Japan, Australia, Canada, India, and other nations increasingly view these minerals as strategic assets essential to economic security, technological leadership, and national defense. Yet behind this growing demand lies a difficult reality.