Interplay of urgency and justice in green transition initiatives : A qualitative case study of a new graphite mine in northern Sweden

Sammanfattning

Climate change is one of contemporary society’s most pressing challenges. Critical materials are widely considered essential for enabling the transition towards renewable energy sources. An increasing number of policymakers emphasise the urgency of critical mineral extraction to meet climate objectives. While urgent action is regarded as necessary, less attention is paid to the justice implications of such measures. This study investigates how urgency and justice unfold in the decision-making process concerning the Nunasvaara graphite mine in northern Sweden, with a particular focus on the Indigenous Sámi population. Drawing on a qualitative single-case study, I examine how the sense of urgency shapes procedural, distributional, and recognitional justice considerations. The findings suggest that the urgency of the energy transition alters the decision-making process by changing its duration and tempo. In turn, these shifts have significant implications for the Sámi villages residing in the nearby area. The study illustrates how attempts to act urgently to restore a healthy planet risk marginalising Indigenous perspectives. Accordingly, the analysis demonstrates that the renewable energy transition is not a neutral process. Instead, global climate objectives impose disproportionate costs on certain societal groups at the local level.