Event Calendar

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Critical Minerals & The Clean Energy Transition

Start Date: 11/19/2025 4:30 PM EST
End Date: 11/19/2025 6:30 PM EST

Venue Name: In Person - US-ASEAN Business Council

Location:
1101 17th St NW Suite 411
Washington, DC  United States  20036

Organization Name: WIIT

Contact:
WIIT
Email: info@wiit.org
Phone: (202) 869-3775

As the world accelerates toward a low-carbon future, the demand for critical minerals—such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements—has surged to unprecedented levels. These essential materials power the clean energy technologies that define our transition: from electric vehicles and solar panels to wind turbines and battery storage.

The panel will discuss the global supply chain landscape from its start as a critical mineral to its full use in clean energy. Participants will gain insight into:

  • The key minerals driving renewable energy and electrification
  • Challenges in scaling extraction and processing responsibly
  • Policy frameworks and international cooperation for supply security
  • Emerging technologies to reduce dependence on scarce resources

Join us for a timely discussion on how critical minerals are not just a resource issue, but a national security and environmental issue.


Speakers:

Carolina Ferreira Herrera
, Inter-American Development Bank
 
Carolina Ferreira is an expert consultant in lithium and critical minerals for the mining group of the Energy Division of the IDB. In this role, Carolina brings her experience in regulation, development projects and planning in the mining sector. Previously, she worked at the Chilean Ministry of Energy and subsequently, between 2016 and 2018 where she led the lithium office at the Chilean Ministry of Mining and was responsible for the implementation of the Lithium Policy and Governance of the Salt Flats, which led significant advances in the country's lithium industry. Later, she successfully led the Responsible Lithium Partnership in the Salar de Atacama, a mineral supply chain responsibility project funded by Volkswagen Group, BMW Group, Mercedes Benz A.G, among others. She has also participated in international conferences on these topics and teaches the course "Lithium, strategic resource" for the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Carolina has a master's degree in regulation from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and specializations in Sustainable Development and Extractive Industries from both the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and Columbia University.

Nidya Kartikasari, Embassy of Indonesia
 
Nidya Kartikasari is a career diplomat with over 20 years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, whose work spans international relations, economic cooperation, negotiations, and diplomacy.
 
Since September 2025, she has served as Chargé d’Affaires (Minister) at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C., following her leadership as Director for American and European Intra and Inter-Regional Cooperation (2021–2025) and Deputy Director (2020–2021) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. She also headed the Planning and Organization Division at the Directorate General of American and European Affairs (2019–2020).
 
Her overseas experience includes assignments as Consul for Economic Affairs and Head of Chancery in Shanghai (2015–2019), Third Secretary in Tokyo (2008–2012), and early assignments at the Consulate General in Osaka. At the headquarters, she worked in the Directorate of East Asia and Pacific Affairs (covering Japan, the Koreas, and ASEAN countries) and the Directorate of Public Diplomacy.

She holds a Ph.D. in International Relations (2013) and a Master of Public Policy (2007) from GRIPS Tokyo, and a Bachelor’s in International Relations from Padjadjaran University (2003).


Moderated by Vanessa Sciarra, American Clean Power Association
 
Vanessa Sciarra is Vice President for Trade and International Competitiveness at the American Clean Power Association (ACP), where she leads work on all aspects of trade policy as it affects the renewable energy industry. Prior to joining ACP, she worked at the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and at the Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT), where her work involved advocating for trade and international investment issues for companies in many sectors of the economy. In addition to her trade association work, she has served as a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice and as an Assistant General Counsel with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). A member of the District of Columbia Bar, she also has had a significant career in private practice representing clients in international trade matters at two law firms. She currently serves as President of the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT), based in Washington, DC, which works to promote the professional development of women in international trade and business and to raise public awareness of the importance of international trade. She holds her B.A. and J.D. from Yale and her M.Sc. from the London School of Economics.


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