FRONTIERS is organized into four sub-projects (work packages (WPs).  

WP1 embodies several interconnected subprojects, combining qualitative social science and legal study methods. WP1 focuses on land-based mining in order to develop insights on challenges as well as good practices for responsible business conduct and due diligence. The aim is to develop insights that may inform responsible decision-making related to an expansion of the mining frontier with a view to comprehensive sustainability. This informs the project’s overall aim of generating knowledge to contribute to ensuring that the shift to low-carbon energy, required for responding to the urgent need for climate change mitigation, does not come at the price of upsetting socio-environmental sustainability. We explore how international (UN and OECD), EU and selected national risk-based due diligence and reporting requirements are understood and applied to support responsible business conduct in value chains for transition minerals. This includes an exploration of current practices within the mining industry and mineral value chains with a focus on due diligence cascading, leverage, and drivers as well as challenges for organizational uptake and integration of due diligence practices. Recognizing that much research has uncovered poor practices for handling social and environmental impacts, we are particularly interested in good practices and how they may be spread across industries and regions. We seek to identify and understand what factors support harm-preventing effects in green energy, including in multi-tier supply chains in complex settings for environmental and social impacts. For this reason, we are also open to studying relevant practices other industries involved in natural resource use (e.g., forestry).

A study on due diligence practices and leverage along transition mineral value chains is undertaken by PhD candidate Helga Askgaard Estrup.

A study on factors and practices that inform corporate learning and responses to societal expectations and legal demands on responsible business conduct, due diligence and meaningful engagement with affected actors is undertaken by Professor Karin Buhmann (project PI).

WP2 looks at deep-sea mining as a resource frontier for transition minerals. We will explore environmental, socio-environmental, cumulative and wider ecosystemic impacts of DSM and current and potential future impact assessment methods. We will challenge the methods and impact assessment narratives in regard to adequacy for identifying and addressing DSM impacts short-term and long-term. The post-doc position call open in late 2025 is particularly related to these aspects of the research. Here too, we may also investigate practices related to land-based mining and other extractive activities in order to understand organizational and community responses to socio-environmental impacts, and drivers, challenges and potential of good practices.

Taking a Rights-of-Nature (RoN) approach, we will also approach the interests of the deep-sea eco-system as rights of the sea and its inhabitants, and examine if they can be voiced or protected through RoN arguments and explore if and how RoN arguments and risk-based due diligence processes may protect the deep-sea eco-system and adjacent communities against harmful impacts from mining. The RoN sub-project is spearheaded by post-doc Jingjing Wu.

A sub-project assessing existing argumentative connections to meaningful engagement as part of risk-based due diligence, how to provide the ocean with a voice, and potential connections to RoN arguments and risk-based due diligence demands on the investment chain is lead by Professor Karin Buhmann.

A sub-project related to mining practices for a resource-hungry low-carbon transition is undertaken by post-doc Raphaël Deberdt. This involves a critical analysis of DSM arguments.

WP3 explores how institutional investors apply risk-based due diligence in decisions on transition minerals, with a particular focus on how they apply leverage to seek to influence the investment chain for land-based transition minerals and potential expansion into the deep seas. We work closely with several Danish institutional investors. Through document study and interviews we will explore practices current transition minerals investments, and how this may translate into institutional investors’ leverage for responsible approaches to deep-sea mining. The bulk of this WP is undertaken by PhD candidate Jakob Lutz.

Finally, WP4 develops conclusions and recommendations. Building on the research of the full team, WP4 will advance comprehensive new knowledge and action-oriented insights on: A: the effectiveness of risk-based due diligence laws and guidance in shaping the practices and leverage of energy companies vis-à-vis mining and minerals value chains, and investors’ influence on invested companies in transition mining; B: complementarity of risk-based due diligence and RoN to give voice to people and nature affected by transition mining expansion in alignment with ideas on meaningful involvement of affected actors; C: critical and novel approaches to DSM narratives and DSM impacts and impact assessment methods for industry actors and governments to identify and take into account socio-environmental, cumulative and wider ecosystemic impacts, in alignment with the idea of a just transition; D: options for energy companies, other actors along transition minerals value chains, and investors, to apply risk-based due diligence and RoN arguments to obtain information to inform their decision-making on potential involvement in transition minerals frontiers to ensure alignment with a just transition for people, nature and ocean eco-systems, and to cascade consideration of the interests of affected areas, people and nature through the value and investment chain; and E: further research perspectives to expand natural resource governance for a just and fair energy transition, including to support decisions around natural resource exploitation frontiers to respect the rights and welfare of people and nature.