Register now for the satellite event on Public Acceptance at Raw Materials Week

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Register now to participate to the satellite event on “Public Acceptance and Social Impact of Mining and Mineral Recycling in Europe” during the EU Raw Materials Week (Brussels, 22 Nov. 2019). A broad cluster of EU H2020 project will analyse the public acceptance of mining and recycling in Europe. Speakers from industry, governments, NGOs, local citizens, academia and international institutions will put forward their vision and debate the suggested policy recommendations for the European Commission.


The ever more urgent transition to a low-carbon economy requires a large amount of Critical Raw Materials (CRM), such as the rare earths neodymium and dysprosium, as well as lithium and cobalt. Recycling efficiencies are still low and insufficient to cover the current demand, thus primary mining is required to support this transition. However, the mining industry is often confronted with a negative reputation in society. Resistance to mining varies from raising valid environmental concerns to outright ‘Nimby-ism’ (Not In My Back Yard). In any case, lack of social acceptance can hinder the development and implementation of any mining or recycling activity.

The EU H2020 projects NEMO, CROCODILE and TARANTULA, in collaboration with the SecREEts, INFACT and CHROMIC projects take on this challenge. This broad cluster of EU H2020 project aims to discuss different viewpoints on social acceptance from industry, governments, NGOs, local citizens, academia and international institutions. Each speaker will present one key recommendation for the European Commission to consider when dealing with public acceptance and social impact of mining and minerals recycling. An interactive debate will allow for further alignment of these recommendations. 

Registrations are now closed. 

The programme is as follows:

14:00 Welcome and introduction
14:05 Introductory remarks by Veronique WOULE-EBONGUE (EC – EASME)
14:15

Perspectives on social acceptance (10’ pp):

  • prof. Paul Ekins (UNEP – IRP): Gearing Extractive Industries Towards Sustainable Development 
  • Mrs. Riikka Aaltonen (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland): Political, legal versus social license negotiation and facilitation
  • Dr. Cathryn MacCallum (SRK): Industry perspective on inking social risk to social acceptance
  • Mr. Carlos Gutiérrez Álvarez (neighbour from Tapia de Casariego, Asturias (Spain): Local experiences from Asturias, the case of Oro de Salave
  • Mr. Alberto Vazquez (CATAPA): From SLO model to practice: pitfall and drivers for a transparent dialogue 
  • Dra. Marieke Meesters (WUR): Academic review of the literature on social acceptance and Social License to Operate (SLO) 
15:15 Coffee break
15:45 Panel debate: aligning policy recommendations
16:45 Conclusions
17:00 Networking cocktail
18:00 End

(The programme will be further updated and finalized shortly)

Details about the event:

  • Date: 22 November 2019, 14h-17h ( cocktail till 18h)
  • Venue: Le Plaza Hotel (Boulevard Adolphe Max 118-126; 1000 Brussels, Belgique) (= the same venue of the Raw Materials Week)
  • Registrations are closed (contact Piet Wostyn for more information or questions)

The NEMO, CROCODILE, TARANTULA, CHROMIC, INFACT and SecREEts projects have received funding from the European Union's EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 under Grant Agreement No 776846 (NEMO – https://h2020-nemo.eu/), GA No 776473 (CROCODILE – https://h2020-crocodile.eu/), GA No 821159 (TARANTULA – https://h2020-tarantula.eu/), GA No 730471 (CHROMIC – www.chromic.eu), GA No  776487 (INFACT – www.infactproject.eu), and GA No 776559 (SecREEts).

 

 

 

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