(Raw) Materials

In 2022, négaWatt published its comprehensive scenario for France. It included a detailed materials flow and footprint modeling, called négaMat. The modeling tool is currently being fine-tuned under the project MODEIRE, in collaboration with Ademe.

Building up on this work, négaWatt started in 2023 to work on a detailed analysis of the impact of 8 metals’ extraction in the MINIMAL project.

The association could also develop the industry and materials chapter of the CLEVER scenario, including a detailed analysis of the impact of the electrification of road transport on EU raw materials consumption, as well as the impact of Electric Vehicles on deforestation (Driving change, not deforestation ►) with the Vienna University (WU) for the Association FERN and the Rainforest Foundation Norway.

MINIMAL

Starting from the observation of a strong increase in the environmental and social impacts of our consumption of mineral resources, MINIMAL questions how to ensure good living conditions and successfully transition to a low-carbon economy while reducing our demand for metals in order to stay within planetary boundaries.

The project, mainly funded by Ademe, aims to propose a sustainability corridor for eight metals (Iron/Steel, Aluminium, Nickel, Cobalt, Lithium, Silver, Gold, Lead, Tin), along with levers to ensure compliance with this corridor.

Results are already available for Lithium ►, and should follow for Copper at the end of 2025.