Future RAW materials demand, supply and sustainability in the face of CLImate Change

ongoing

RAWCLIC’s main goal is to develop knowledge on the future raw materials (RMs) demand, supply and associated environmental impacts induced by the twin transition in the EU, and to support fact-based industry- and policy- decision-making enabling this transition. RAWCLIC revolutionizes the development and analysis of likely future scenarios of RMs demand and supply, considering challenges and opportunities as to material substitution, future RMs potential (geological and urban mine) deposits, processing technologies, circular use of materials, geopolitical shifts, and induced environmental impacts. It enables to identify the i) challenges, and associated risks to supply, ii) opportunities, and iii) potential mitigation measures, at technology, sectoral and EU-levels. It improves and expands existing models, and develops new ones, to assess and analyse the future demand (WP2), supply from secondary (WP3) and primary (WP4) sources, and environmental effects (including climate change, waste generation, land and water use, and biodiversity impacts; WP5). The models are applied to a selection of 20 RMs justified in the context of the twin transition, while ensuring replicability for future modelling exercises. Modelling activities are harmonized (WP1), and integrated into pathways and strategies facilitating the twin transition while accounting for crucial risks regarding RMs bottlenecks (WP6). RAWCLIC ultimately develops a coherent roadmap for global decision makers working in research, policy, and industry to achieve the twin transition. Industry stakeholders from across the value chain of the focus RMs are in regular dialogue with the project, in a mutually-beneficial collaboration (WP7). This includes engagement with downstream industries in energy and digital technologies to support their resilience, and with upstream mining and refining stakeholders to support their decarbonisation objectives.