Stockpiling is widely accepted as a strategy to strengthen mineral security of supply. From bipartisan consensus in the United States to a recent announcement of the European Union Stockpiling Strategy and a pilot for stockpiling materials and components for naval frigates in the Netherlands. Yet despite its appeal, “stockpiling” is often used as an umbrella term with undefined and blurry details, lacking clear definitions and actionable frameworks.
In a new report published by the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University, experts Dr. Tom Moerenhout, Cina Vazir, and Irina Patrahau identify five key decisions that must be made to revitalise the U.S. stockpiling system (The National Defense Stockpile, NDS) and to establish effective strategies for Europe and the Netherlands.
Irina Patrahau, a CGEP non-resident fellow, also serves as a strategic analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS), where she chairs the Energy Security and Critical Minerals initiatives within the Geoeconomics research pillar. Drawing on this expertise, the authors present a roadmap for policymakers—ranging from redefining the purpose and scope of national stockpiles to determining what materials should be included, how they should be managed, and by whom.
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