Raw materials turnaround Now: Sustainable raw materials policy for climate and human rights

Mining view of open pit mining

The raw materials transition is the key to creating a sustainable future. It aims to drastically reduce global consumption of raw materials while protecting both the climate and human rights.

Reduction of primary raw material consumption to dampen raw material demand

The growing global hunger for raw materials is massively driving environmental destruction and human rights violations in resource-rich regions. Germany is one of the 5 Biggest Metal Users in the World. Although primary metals are almost completely dependent on imports, consumption has not changed in recent years. This hunger for raw materials leads to massive human rights violations and environmental destruction and contributes significantly to the climate crisis. Apart from flowery words, the Resource curse Elsewhere, there is no role for the raw materials policy of the respective federal governments. In many resource-rich regions, from the Ecuadorian Andes until the Philippine Islands People are protesting against the exploitation of their natural resources. Protests are also on the rise in Europe. Therefore, we demand from the The Federal Government's Raw Materials Transition, in order to expand the circular economy, reduce the use of primary raw materials and thus dampen global demand for raw materials!

Thinking along with the energy and mobility transition

An example: The Future electric mobility will drive demand for metals Let it explode. Although a phase-out of fossil fuels such as diesel and gasoline engines is needed, instead of a drive turnaround, a mobility turnaround is needed in which SUVs weighing less than two and a half tons are moved to transport an 80-kilogram person from A to B. The automotive industry is already one of the main consumers of metallic raw materials. Instead, we need a Social-ecological transformation of the mobility sector. Metallic raw materials will also be required for the expansion of wind and solar power plants in the future. However, PowerShift shows that Energy transition and raw materials transition not a contradiction We already have to consider the recycling of raw materials in solar cells and wind turbines today, so that these raw materials will still be available to us in ten, 20 or 30 years.

Objectives of the campaign

We call for a consistent transition to a circular economy, a drastic reduction in primary raw material consumption and a clear political framework for resource protection and climate justice. We see them The federal government has a duty here., also in response to the disruptions caused by the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the pandemic. It must absolutely reduce the consumption of raw materials, improve the supply chain law to protect those affected by mining, including access to justice, and massively expand the circular economy. This starts with the design, goes from the ability to repair to information management.

The main demands are:

  • Defining sector-specific targets for the reduction of primary metal consumption
  • Understand the circular economy not as waste management, but as a raw material policy and keep metals in use through the design, production, use and recycling phases
  • enshrine and strengthen human rights, environmental and climate-related due diligence obligations in laws

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