The Critical Raw Materials ActCRMA<\/a>) to improve Europe's supply of raw materials. To this end, the EU is, among other things, accelerating permitting procedures for \u2018strategic projects\u2019 in the extraction of raw materials. The joint study by PowerShift and NABU shows how Fast-Track threatens water protection and participation rights \u2013 and how it can protect democratic participation and the environment.<\/p>\n Europe's raw materials policy is facing a double test: Security of supply must not come at the expense of water, nature and democratic participation. The CRMA<\/a> speeds up \u2013 but shortening deadlines and facilitating exceptions threatens legal uncertainty, loss of acceptance and lasting environmental damage. Water is particularly sensitive: Pollution and pressure to use directly affect ecosystems and drinking water supply.<\/p>\n Four cases show how fast-track logics, information deficits and water risks have a concrete impact.<\/p>\n The study makes 17 recommendations. The core is a rights and environmental approach that not only makes permits faster, but also better: transparent, verifiable, with real voice, robust environmental and social audits and secured decommissioning.<\/p>\n 5 key points summarized<\/strong><\/p>\n Methodologically, the study combines legal analysis and country gap analyses with international benchmarking: Aarhus as EU baseline, Escaz\u00fa as standard evolution (including protection of defenders), IRMA as best-in-class standard for mining practice.<\/p>\n More on the risks of raw materials policy<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n World economy compass<\/strong> \u2013 the PowerShift podcast.<\/a><\/p>\n PowerShift Action guide for more voice<\/strong> in different languages.<\/a><\/p>\n For interviews, audio and data please contact: ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A study of the impact of strategic raw materials projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act on water resources and equity The Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) aims to improve Europe's raw materials supply. To this end, the EU is, among other things, accelerating permitting procedures for \u2018strategic projects\u2019 in the extraction of raw materials. The joint study by PowerShift and NABU shows how Fast-Track threatens water protection and participation rights \u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":98609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[68,286,3],"post_series":[],"thema":[18],"coauthors":[87],"class_list":["post-98640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-studie","tag-bergbau","tag-kritische-rohstoffe","tag-rohstoffpolitik","thema-rohstoffpolitik","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98640"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98873,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98640\/revisions\/98873"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98640"},{"taxonomy":"post_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_series?post=98640"},{"taxonomy":"thema","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thema?post=98640"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/power-shift.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=98640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWhat the EU needs to change<\/h2>\n
\nWhat the study shows<\/h2>\n
\n
\n<\/strong>Compressed deadlines and \u2018strategic\u2019 status can devalue participation if documents are available late, incomplete or in unusable formats. This creates high conflict and litigation risk dynamics.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>For drinking water, many EU limits are strict. For surface waters, there is a lack of harmonised EU-wide standards for several substances relevant to mining; In some cases, there are no EU or national limit values.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>The CRMA may favour future exemptions from the prohibition of deterioration. Without clear barriers, water protection objectives become politically subordinated, with consequential costs for the environment and public budgets.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>The EU Extractive Waste rules are considered outdated; Central gap: no ban on upstream tailing dams for new installations. The study recommends an update to global best practice and independent oversight.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>When transparency, accountability and rights approaches are lacking, raw material regions become sacrificial zones. This undermines the promise of a just transformation and exacerbates social tensions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nWhat this means in practice<\/h2>\n
Spain<\/span><\/span>: Mina Doade of Galicia<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong>project splitting and missing cumulative testing along a 12 km belt; Central water risks (including acid mine drainage) remain insufficiently addressed. Authorities demanded studies, some of which were not submitted.<\/p>\nPortugal<\/span><\/span>: Mina do Barroso (Northern Portugal)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong>In 2023, 1,776 EIA documents should be reviewed in just 10 working days. In 2025, the UN-Aarhus Committee criticised deficits in information and participation. The project was politically approved in 2023 following rejections; Legal action is underway.<\/p>\nSweden<\/span><\/span>: S\u00e1mi rights and CRMA speed<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong>Civil society criticises the fact that accelerated procedures and overriding public interest weaken voice and legal protection. Particularly problematic: insufficient assessment of cumulative effects on reindeer husbandry, culture and livelihoods.<\/p>\nGermany<\/span><\/span>: Tin forest (Saxony)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong>The study shows implementation and participation gaps compared to high benchmarks (Aarhus\/IRMA\/Escaz\u00fa). The CRMA pressure intensifies debates as to whether securing raw materials effectively displaces other protective goods.<\/p>\n
\nWhat to do politically now<\/h2>\n
\n
\nHow the study works<\/h2>\n
\nFind out more<\/h2>\n
\nPress & Background<\/h2>\n
\nAdrian Bornmann<\/strong><\/a>
\nSpeaker for press and public relations
\nMaja Wilke<\/strong><\/a>
\nPolicy Officer for Raw Materials Policy<\/p>\n
\n