The project held its latest consortium meeting of 2024 in Brussels, focussing on critical updates, collaborative efforts, and strategic discussions as the project enters a results-driven phase.
Discussions and CRM Act Updates
The first day highlighted significant progress in FutuRaM’s contributions to the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). Dirk Nelen and Margot Coppens from VITO presented their approach to CRM prioritisation, while Kees Baldé from UNITAR provided updates on the FutuRaM collaboration with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and DG GROW, emphasising data support for Member States in implementing the Act.
Daniel Monfort (BRGM) and Kirsten Remmen (Empa) introduced the newly funded RAWCLIC project, sharing its synergies with FutuRaM.
Secondary Raw Materials and Advisory Board Contributions
The second day centred on secondary and critical raw materials trends. Giulia Iattoni (UNITAR) gave a status update on this matter with input from each of the leaders of the waste stream teams. Stijn van Ewijk (UCL) and Florian Flachenecker (DG Environment) elaborated on improving data collection for construction and demolition waste reuse, a major focus area as this accounts for over a third of EU waste.
The project team also presented a prototype of the FutuRaM Secondary Raw Materials Knowledge Base, with BRGM representatives showcasing its features and gathering feedback from the Advisory Board and other stakeholders. Open questions and challenges related to project waste streams, UNFC implementation, raw materials scenario calculations, and result dissemination were addressed, leveraging the expertise of board members.
Strategic Planning and Research Presentation
The final day built on earlier discussions, tackling key project challenges and strategies to address them. The importance of integrating diverse project components was emphasised to ensure a cohesive and impactful outcome.
Soraya Heuss-Aßbichler (LMU Munich) presented initial results of applying the UNFC methodology to secondary raw materials, with Ronald Arvidsson (SGU) demonstrating its application to mining waste. Looking ahead, plans for further exploration in Northern Europe were outlined.
The meeting concluded with a session on exploitation opportunities, engaging experts from CRM Observatories, producer responsibility organizations, and consultancies to explore ways to apply FutuRaM’s findings in enhancing products, services, standardisation efforts, and policy-making.
Key Takeaways
FutuRaM continues to advance research on critical raw materials in Europe’s urban mine, with significant strides in supporting the CRMA. The project is entering a critical phase, with a strong focus on finalising outputs, enhancing knowledge-sharing, and ensuring practical applications of its findings. Advisory Board input and partner collaboration remain integral to achieving these goals.