Chapter 36 - Geopolitics of resources and recycling

In recent years there has been growing concern around the supply and reserves of critical materials for economies around the world, especially for those materials for which the global supply is dominated by a limited number of suppliers. Critical materials are those materials for which supply disruptions may damage the economy of a country. The increasing economic importance of metals and minerals, both in the current economy as well as for important transitions in our economy (digitalization, energy, and climate), has led to a resurgence in raw materials-related geopolitics. Today, many critical materials have relatively low recycling rates. Recycling can play a key role in securing the future availability of these materials and lessening the potential impacts of supply disruptions.