Twenty-five of the 34 minerals found in Greenland were identified as "critical raw materials" in a European Commission study in 2023.
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00:00Greenland wants a stronger EU commitment to the territory's critical raw materials, according
00:13to one of its local MPs. These materials are needed for the construction of clean energy
00:19technologies such as solar panels and batteries. The EU is lagging behind compared to the Americans,
00:26the Chinese or even the British. 25 out of 34 minerals found in Greenland have been identified
00:33as critical raw materials in a European Commission study.
00:39We would like to see EU much more engaged when it comes to rare earth. We know that
00:4378% of everything that EU needs when it comes to rare earth can be found in Greenland. And
00:48right now we have more or less Chinese monopoly when it comes to rare earth and therefore
00:54I think it makes a lot of sense and I think it's an overlap and interest between Greenland
00:59and EU to get investments from, to focus on rare earth but also on tourism.
01:07The MEP says she is concerned about Russia and Trump's provocative statements which do
01:13not exclude forced to seize Greenland, a constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark. The majority
01:19of the 56,000 inhabitants have a long-term goal of independence and exclude being in
01:25the US fold, she says. At this time, Greenland believes that there is a need to diversify
01:31and strengthen Greenland's cooperation with other global players.
01:38I think there's no shortcut to independence even though it's the biggest wish and the
01:44biggest dream for a lot of us in Greenland. I think we need to see it as a long-term goal
01:49and then to diversify who we're collaborating with. So it should be Denmark, should be EU
01:55and it should also be US. So we're part of the North American continent and it makes
02:01sense to cooperate, for example, on defence but we don't want military bases in Greenland.
02:08Since 2009, Greenland has had the right to declare its independence through a referendum.
02:15The MP, who chairs the Greenland committee in the Danish parliament, has suggested that
02:19a possible referendum could take place during the new mandate. Parliamentary elections will
02:25be held next spring.