On August 26, 2023, SIM2 KU Leuven’s Director Peter Tom Jones was Francesca Vanthielen‘s guest for her weekly Trends Talk interview (Kanaal Z – Canal Z, Flanders’ financial tv station). A 30-minute hard-talk interview about Europe’s #criticalrawmaterials conundrum and its (increasingly) frightening dependency on China. Can we develop a European mine to EV value chain? Pipe dream or a matter of “Yes, we can!”?
Watch the 30-minute interview here
BEKIJK – Trends Talk met onderzoeksmanager Peter Tom Jones (knack.be)
Takehome messages
The energy transition is material transition. To reduce its problematic dependency on China, Europe needs to make tough choices. As there is no such thing as a free lunch, we need to carefully balance demand-side management, #recycling, deep-sea mining, responsible mining in Europe, and responsible sourcing from the global South in respectful, win-win raw materials partnerships. We also need to think about where we channel investments. Jones:
“European investors are queueing up to invest in gigafactories but they don't want to invest in the mines and refineries that are needed to feed the battery factories with the required critical raw materials. That doesn't make sense".
Responsible mining in Europe?
Watch our SIM2 KU Leuven documentary here: Full documentary – Responsible Mining in Europe: A new paradigm to counter climate change on Vimeo. A follow-up documentary (“From mine to EV”) is being prepared in collaboration with Stijn van Baarle (STORYRUNNER)!
Want to know more? Peter Tom Jones will be speaking at these venues
- 18-09-2023, Brussels. Eurometaux. Lecture “Responsible mining and refining in Europe”
- 23-10-2023, Brussels. FRDO Debate on “Responsible mining in Europe”
- 24-10-2023, Antwerp. Kekule Lecture “Responsible mining and refining in Europe”
- 14-11-2023, Brussels. EU Raw Materials Week. Panel debate “The challenges of European sustainable growth in the raw materials industry”
- 06-01-2024, Mechelen. EU-opening summit; Lecture “Responsible mining and refining in Europe”
- 19-02-2024, Brasschaat. ADL. Lecture “Wel Tesla willen, maar geen mijnbouw in de achtertuin: dat kan niet! Over verantwoorde mijnbouw en raffinage in EU”
