The seminars are part of the Productive and Inclusive Net Zero Research Project (PRINZ), a collaboration between researchers from Imperial College Business School, the London School of Economics, University of Oxford, the University of Leeds and NESTA. PRINZ is funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council.
The seminars take place the third Tuesday of each month from 11:00-12:00 in SAL 2.04. In each session, researchers and academics present and discuss work in progress in an informal setting.
Please note that these seminars are open to staff and research students from LSE and non-LSE (and by invitation) only.
Autumn Term 2023
19 September - Technology, Energy and Critical Minerals: Firm behaviour, Supply Chain, and Innovation
Speaker: Viet Nguyen, LSE
Location: LSE (hybrid)
The mass adoption of energy transition technologies is crucial for the common goal of decarbonising the planet. Yet the dependence of these technologies on specialised minerals has raised increasing concerns, given the recent vulnerabilities in global supply chains within a fragmented world. Employing a textual analysis approach, we find evidence that listed firms worldwide, especially those exposed to emerging technologies, are increasingly mentioning energy transition minerals during their conference calls, particularly amid price surges, alongside other significant business issues. These companies also engage in more intensive discussions about uncertainties and express negative sentiments related to critical minerals. Interestingly, even in China, where the green energy supply chains have been more well-developed, downstream firms are also exposed to these sources of risks and concerns. This suggests that localising the supply chain does not necessarily provide complete protection against broad-based shocks due to the inherent complexities of the global mineral-technology network. Meanwhile we document an early sign of directed technical change in response to restricted natural resources in the new energy context. Firms are more likely to discuss circular economy solutions and material substitution when the prices of minerals critical for energy transition are high.
17 October - TBC
Speaker: TBC
Location: LSE (hybrid)
21 November - TBC
Speaker: TBC
Location: LSE (hybrid)
19 December - TBC
Speaker: TBC
Location: LSE (hybrid)