A synodal dialogue between the Holy See and leaders from the energy sector
Vatican City, January 2026
In January 2026, the Holy See hosted a synodal meeting that brought together Pope Leo XIV and business leaders from the energy and critical minerals sectors, creating a space for dialogue and reflection on the ethical, social and environmental challenges associated with the energy transition.
In a global context shaped by the urgency of the energy transition and the growing demand for critical minerals—indispensable for clean technologies, electrical infrastructure and the development of artificial intelligence—it is essential to promote synergies that integrate economic, scientific, political and ethical dimensions.
Within this space for dialogue, participants openly and constructively addressed the real challenges faced by territories, including illegal mining, environmental impact, community health and the need for economic development compatible with the care of our common home.
From Environmental Markets Fairness Foundation (EMFF), in collaboration with Prof. Emilce Cuda, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (PCAL), we helped make this meeting possible by acting as a bridge and by fostering the conditions for economic development, scientific evidence, political responsibility and ethical reflection to converge in a shared space for dialogue, while respecting the complexity of each perspective. This initiative is part of a broader agenda promoted by EMFF to strengthen ethical dialogue around environmental markets and the energy transition.
Critical minerals are essential elements for the energy transition and for the functioning of technologies that sustain contemporary life. For this very reason, their extraction and use pose challenges that cannot be addressed from a single perspective. Integrating criteria of environmental integrity, social justice and community well-being is central to advancing toward legitimate and sustainable development models.
This synodal meeting reaffirms the importance of building bridges among diverse actors and of sustaining, over time, processes of listening, discernment and cooperation that enable progress toward fairer, more transparent and more responsible environmental markets.
“Without minerals, we would not have many of the essential tools of modern life—for example, a surgical scalpel used to save lives. Critical minerals and the protection of biodiversity are fundamental. Our challenge as a Foundation was to bring people together and build the bridge so that sincere dialogue could take place.”
Patricio Lombardi – Executive Director, EMFF
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