Mining for the future

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Here’s the paradox: To shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources, we need more raw materials for things like solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars. But how can we ensure we have a steady supply of the metals and materials we need – some of which are quite rare – without causing more damage to the environment? Is there a greener way to mine minerals or should we be focusing more on recycling?

In this episode, we look at Nordic attempts to develop “green mining,” European initiatives to improve recycling and we examine the global need for a sustainable raw material supply.

“The UN Global Goals mean that we need to make an energy transition from fossil fuels to sun and wind technology – but to do this, we need a lot of raw materials.”

Erika Ingvald, head of the Mineral Information and Mining Industry Division at the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU).

This podcast episode features the following speakers

Erika Ingvald (Sweden)

Erika Ingvald has led the Mineral Information and Mining Industry Division at the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) since 2015. Erika has many years of experience as a geologist, science journalist and information officer, and has worked at SGU since 2007.

Keshav Parajuly (Nepal)

Dr. Keshav Parajuly is a visiting scholar for the Sustainable Cycles program at the Institute for Environment and Human Security of the United Nations University (UNU) in Bonn, Germany, where his research focuses on sustainable consumer behaviour regarding electronic products. He holds a PhD in the circular economy and e-waste management from the University of Southern Denmark.

Peter Handley (Belgium)

Peter Handley is head of the Energy Intensive Industries and Raw Materials Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Brussels. He previously worked as head of the Resource Efficiency Unit at the European Commission's Secretariat General, where he was responsible for coordinating the Energy Union, the 2030 climate and energy framework, the low-emission mobility strategy, and the circular economy.