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

WP1 combines legal and qualitative social science methods into an exploration of EU and selected national risk-based due diligence and reporting requirements to understand what factors support harm-preventing effects in green energy, including in multi-tier supply chains in complex settings for environmental and social impacts. We combine legal and qualitative social science methods into an exploration of EU and selected national risk-based due diligence and reporting requirements to understand what factors support harm-preventing effects in green energy, including in multi-tier supply chains in complex settings for environmental and social impacts 

WP2 looks at deep-sea mining as a resource frontier for transition minerals. Taking a Rights-of-Nature approach, we 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. 

WP3 explores how institutional investors apply risk-based due diligence in decisions on transition minerals, how they seek to influence the investment chain for land-based transition minerals and potential expansion into the deep seas, and how RoN arguments may support those processes. We work closely with several Danish institutional investors. Through document study and interviews we will explore practices current transition minerals investments and deep-sea mining potential, assess existing argumentative connections to meaningful stakeholder engagement as part of risk-based due diligence, and potential connections to RoN arguments and risk-based due diligence demands on the investment chain.  

Finally, WP4 develops conclusions and recommendations on A: the effectiveness of risk-based due diligence laws in shaping the practices and leverage of energy companies vis-à-vis mining and minerals companies, and investors’ influence on invested companies in transition mining; B: complementarity of risk-based due diligence and RoN to give voice to the environment and people affected by transition mining expansion; C: 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 investing in transition minerals frontiers aligned with a just transition for people, the environment and ocean eco-systems, and to cascade consideration of the interests of affected areas and people through the value and investment chain; and D: further research perspectives to maximize complementarity between risk-based due diligence, RoN and the role of the energy and mining sectors and investors for a just transition and its dependence on transition minerals, and to expand natural resource governance and exploitation frontiers respecting rights of people and nature.