The government will establish a new agency to handle environmental reviews and permits for mines. Energy Minister Ebba Busch (KD) is presenting this as part of an effort to make mining and mineral issues a central part of Swedish security policy.
The government plans to establish a new agency responsible for environmental reviews of mining operations. The announcement comes from the Minister of Energy Ebba Busch (KD) in connection with the presentation of a new mineral strategy.
The background to this is the deteriorating security situation and Europe’s growing industrial dependence on China, which Busch describes as a systemic risk.
– We are taking this action in light of the fact that the security situation has deteriorated, while Europe’s industrial dependence on China has grown into a systemic risk, says Ebba Busch.
Minerals as a Matter of Security Policy
She emphasizes that Sweden possesses vast natural resources and that these must be utilized in a turbulent world.
– A small country like Sweden, which possesses enormous natural resources and a world-class company, must capitalize on that strength.
Under the new strategy, mining and mineral issues will be placed at the heart of Swedish security policy. The government believes that mines are currently being used as tools by geopolitical actors and that this threatens Sweden’s defense capabilities in the event of a crisis or war.
Other measures in the strategy
The strategy also includes studies on how to shorten processing times for new mines, a review of mineral fees, and the designation of more mineral deposits as areas of national interest. This would give mining projects higher priority relative to other interests.
The goal is to enable Sweden to extract the minerals needed for both industry and national defense more quickly, while reducing its dependence on foreign suppliers.
But Ebba Bjäbba is actually right about that. Four years is way too late, but still.
Make sure to ramp up the extraction of minerals and uranium.
We have plenty of those substances in the soil beneath Norrland.
The risk is that people will be forced from their homes for very little compensation compared to what the companies buying the land will earn; those affected should clearly be compensated more generously.