Project

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

Acronym
RAWCLIC
Code
41D03424
Duration
01 December 2024 → 30 November 2028
Funding
European funding: framework programme
Promotor
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Organic green chemistry
Keywords
Raw materials demand and supply
 
Project description

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.