Abstract: To systematically interpret the core content of the UN report on critical minerals for energy transition and its impacts on China’s critical mineral industry and energy transition, this study employs comparative policy analysis method based on the report text and the current international situation. It sorts out the report’s background, content framework and governance philosophy and its relevance to ESG principles, analyzes its multi-dimensional impacts on China’s industrial chain, policy system and international cooperation. The study shows that the report has established guiding principles and action pathways for global critical mineral governance, including seven core principles such as safeguarding human rights and security, protecting planetary integrity and biodiversity, advancing justice and equity, promoting benefit-sharing and economic diversification, regulating investment and trade, strengthening transparency and accountability, and enhancing multilateral cooperation, as well as five specific actions including accelerating benefit-sharing, establishing a global traceability framework, setting up a mining legacy fund, empowering artisanal mining, and promoting a circular economy. The sustainable development concept advocated by the report is conceptually consistent with the ESG framework in terms of environmental, social and governance dimensions, but differs in scope of application, value orientation and implementation approaches. The report focuses more on the whole-process governance of the global critical mineral value chain, emphasizing fairness, justice and multilateral coordination. While providing opportunities for the green and low-carbon transition and the expansion of international cooperation of China’s critical mineral industry, the report also poses challenges such as rising corporate compliance costs, intensified international resource competition, and increased difficulties in supply chain traceability management. Based on China’s resource endowment and industrial status, countermeasures should be taken from aspects including improving the domestic regulatory system, promoting industrial green transformation, upgrading ESG practice capabilities, participating in the formulation of global governance rules, and building a diversified supply chain. These measures aim to ensure the security of critical mineral supply, drive the energy structure transition and high-quality development of related industries, and contribute Chinese solutions to global critical mineral governance.