Critical raw materials

In March 2014, parliamentarians from the Euro-Latin America Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat) voted in favour of a resolution on “Trade in raw materials between the European Union and Latin America”. The resolution stresses that a transition towards a different model is needed and suggests several practical steps to improve the current situation.

All around the world, mining has led to resettlements of the local population, drinking water contamination by cyanide spillages, large reduction of farmland, inadequate compensation paid by mining companies, and waste dumps near resettled villages result in health problems and the loss of traditional jobs such as agriculture and pastoral activities at the place of extraction.

On 2 February 2011, the European Commission presented an update to its Raw Materials Strategy from 2008. What are the practical implications of this European strategy, especially for resource rich developing countries around the world?

The Raw Materials Initiative may represent a first step for Europe to less resource dependency, but the question arises as to whether it also appropriately addresses climate challenges and provides a basis for a resource efficient and responsible environmental policy.

There is a broad consensus that apart of investing our energy in a certain fuel quality a fundamental change in transport politics is necessary in order to save more fuel and consequently Green House Gas emissions. In this regard the EU can also be a role model encouraging efficient transport policies.