Circular Cities, E-Mobility and the Metals Industry—A World in Transition

Abstract

The transition to a circular, sustainable society is well on its way. Cities are the place where this is happening bottom-up, supported top-down by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. E-mobility , circular economy and IoT are happening today. Circular cities integrate all aspects of life, connecting across people, economic actors, institutions and geographies. Circular cities are powered by renewable energy and responsible, sustainable materials; have closed resource cycles and are smart. The technical, industrial, economic, cultural and social systems meet, interact and challenge each other. The raw materials industry is an enabler of this transition in society. It provides materials, technologies and solutions. Concurrently, the industry itself needs to adapt to be an essential part of the transition to the future society. Using the e-mobility (batteries) value chain as example, recent and future developments in mobility and responsible material supply will be illustrated, including the impacts and challenges.