Understanding the barriers to recycling critical raw materials for the energy transition
Rising geopolitical tensions and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have intensified concerns about securing access to the critical raw materials (CRMs) that are needed for the energy transition. A group of 17 elements referred to as rare earth elements (REEs) are among the CRMs for which security of supply is increasingly becoming a matter […]
Implementing the EU digital battery passport
Introduced as part of the new EU regulatory frameworks for ecodesign and batteries, the digital product passport (DPP) supports the collection and sharing of product-related data among supply chain actors. As the first tool of this kind globally, it aspires to address existing information gaps for products and components throughout global supply chains, thus becoming […]
The solution to phasing out coal in the Western Balkans?
The new geopolitical reality has given equally new impetus for EU enlargement to the Western Balkans. However, it’s often forgotten that the most acute and imminent risk in that region is the complete meltdown of the power sector. None of the plants in the Western Balkans, most being more than 40 years old, run at […]
Developing a supply chain for recycled rare earth permanent magnets in the EU
Rare earth elements are strategically important for the EU to sustain and accelerate its green and digital transition, particularly due to their use in permanent magnets. Rare earths permanent magnets are critical components of low carbon technologies such as wind turbines and electric vehicles, but also home appliances and consumer electronics. Yet faced with an […]
Squaring the Circle: Policies from Europe’s Circular Economy Transition
Launch of the new World Bank report: “Squaring the Circle: Policies from Europe’s Circular Economy Transition” Followed by a panel discussion: “How can Europe further boost the Circular Economy Transition within and beyond its borders?” The overlapping geopolitical, economic, and environmental crises currently impacting the world economy highlight the urgency to address surging rates […]
The role of life cycle assessment for chemical recycling deployment and policy decision-making
Chemical recycling refers to an emerging and diverse group of technologies for which there is a need for well-founded data to assess their potential contribution to circularity and decarbonisation. To support decision-making and investment processes, life cycle assessment (LCA) is a key tool for assessing the impacts of these technologies. This event will aim to […]
Low-carbon technologies and Russian imports
The term ‘strategic autonomy’ denotes the political goal of building a self-reliant EU economy with limited exposure to supply disruptions, like those stemming from the Covid-19 crisis. Securing access to the non-energy minerals required for building a new industrial ecosystem consistent with the EU’s decarbonisation objectives is important to achieving this goal. Rising demand for […]
Sustainable Product Policy Initiative: A new framework for environmental performance of products
The European Commission plans to present in the end of March its flagship Sustainable Product Policy Initiative that will aim to set out a new EU policy framework for sustainable products and help achieve the EU’s climate neutrality and circular economy objectives. Among the key elements to be included in the initiative are requirements on […]
Implementation of circular economy approaches in the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector
Circular economy business models (CBMs) are identified as important levers in the transition to a circular economy (CE). Published in the ‘Journal for Cleaner Production’, this article aims to enrich the research in the field of CBMs by focusing on the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector. The study adopts a multi-case study approach and uses a sample of 31 […]
Chemical recycling: what is the state of play globally?
Chemical recycling is increasingly being featured in the discussions around plastic waste generation globally as one of the potential solutions to address this challenge. Various chemical recycling technologies have emerged in recent years that are at different levels of development. There is growing investment interest in this group of technologies as demonstrated by various recent […]
Barriers and enablers for implementing circular economy business models
The circular economy is a key element of the European Green Deal as a concept that can support the transition towards a more sustainable growth model. While in recent years there has been a growth of circular economy industrial applications, evidence suggests that the uptake of circular approaches in many sectors is still limited. This […]
Chemical recycling: what role for the EU’s circularity and decarbonisation objectives?
Plastics have enjoyed exceptional growth in production for decades and are used extensively across a multitude of sectors including packaging, construction, electronics, automotive and agriculture. Prompted by concerns over plastic waste generation and impacts on terrestrial and marine ecosystems, in 2018 the European Commission published a strategy on plastics which was followed by legislative actions […]
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