This WCEF2024 Accelerator Session explored the role of strategic partnerships and strategic projects between the Global North and the resource-rich Global South to ensure a reliable external supply of critical raw materials (CRMs) as part of the EU’s 2023 Critical Raw Materials Act.
The Global North seeks a stable supply of critical raw materials (CRMs) for the green and digital transitions. Remarkably, the EU’s 2023 Critical Raw Materials Act focuses on establishing Strategic Partnerships and rolling out Strategic Projects with the resource-rich Global South to ensure a reliable external supply of CRMs. The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and the Circular Innovation Lab organised an event on 17 April both in person and online to explore the role of these strategic partnerships. This official World Circular Economy Forum 2024 Accelerator Session looked at how strategic projects could prioritise both circular CRM projects and business practices to establish mutual benefits for the EU and the Global South, specifically with economic and environmental value addition.
Value addition through the uptake of circularity in emerging economies is of utmost importance to ensure the EU’s pursuits of the circular economy do not lead to an increase in linear supply systems abroad. Supporting policies like the ESPR and the Batteries Directive also risk impacting third countries with standards for minimum recycled content.
The session assessed the economic and environmental feasibility of companies in the Global South exporting CRMs to Europe and explored partnership opportunities with a great panel of speakers.
If you missed the session, you can watch the reply on YouTube and read the summary.
Speakers
Keynote speech: Lasse Miettinen, Director for Sustainability Solutions at Sitra
Presentation: Eline Blot, Senior Policy Analyst, IEEP & Arpit Bhutani, COO Circular Innovation Lab
Moderator: Apoorva Arya, CEO Circular Innovation Lab
Panelists:
- Joost de Kluijver, Founder of Closing the Loop
- Godfrey Ogbemudia, Programme Manager Energy and Circular Economy, EU Delegation of Nigeria & ECOWAS
- Dr. Mohammed Kadah, Assistant Secretary General – Programmes, COMESA
- Eddy Kioni, Chief Executive Officer, Buenassa
- Oliver Bauchie, Senior Advisor to Minister, Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation, Government of Ghana
Reading list
- Impacts and Opportunities for Developing Economies under European Critical Raw Materials Regulation (Circular Innovation Lab 2023)
- A Critical European Raw Materials Management System: The 2023 Playbook (Circular Innovation Lab 2023)
- Circularity gaps of the European Critical Raw Materials Act (IEEP 2023)
- European Critical Raw Materials Regulation – Opportunities & Challenges for Stakeholders (Circular Innovation Lab and IEEP 2023)
