The Politics of Critical Raw Materials : Comparing frames at different levels of representation

Sammanfattning

Critical raw materials are an increasingly hot topic in national and European politics, with more extraction needed to meet the global demand. The media reports of these discussions often centre around green transition, competitiveness and geopolitics. Yet, the perspectives of locals living near the mines are less discussed. This thesis focuses on the representation of local perspectives in decision-making on critical raw materials at a national and European level. Through a framing analysis of official statements and plenary debates, the thesis explored the substantive representation of local framings of critical raw materials across the multi-level governance system, including Kiruna, Sweden, and the European Union. The analysis focused on how the extraction of critical raw materials is framed as a challenge, the reasons for extraction, positions towards it, and potential solutions to its challenges. Special consideration is given to the debate on the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act. Overall, the local framings were substantively represented at the national and European levels, but their specific contents varied. The challenges faced by indigenous peoples and local communities were found to be insufficiently represented above the local governance level. It was primarily the locals’ practical demands regarding financial benefits and support in balancing interests that the EU representatives failed to reflect, while the Swedish representatives mirrored some of them. Therefore, the delegation of authority within the multi-level governance system is discussed as a possible explanation for sufficient and insufficient representation.