Horizon Europe EXCEED’s Post

Rio Tinto 's planned #Jadar lithium project keeps creating headlines. On 19 August this article by Lukáš Onderčanin, “Zapáčiť sa Únii a zachrániť elektromobily. Srbský plán narazil na protest”, published by SME Svet, one of the major news outlets in #Slovakia. https://lnkd.in/eYQPKc7T My eye fell on the article as I was cited in it based on a previous interview for Euronews (“Why is lithium crucial to the EU's green and digital transition?”, Marta Pacheco – https://lnkd.in/e97J8fbv). As my Slovak is not yet up to speed 😅 I had to revert to my AI Co-Pilot for a translation. Here’s a summary: “Some people have environmental concerns about the [Jadar] mining [project], while others fear that Serbia has sold out to Western companies. Additionally, pro-Russian disinformation channels are amplifying these concerns." In our upcoming #documentary “Europe’s lithium paradox” we will be covering the Jadar project. What are the root causes of the opposition to this project? What about the environmental concerns? Is it about geopolitics, with many Serbians believing they are the victims of “neocolonialism”? Is there a concerted #disinformation campaign going on? How do scientists look at this? From a documentary point of view, this is all fascinating stuff, although not very helpful in overcoming Europe’s lithium paradox. 🎬 Europe’s #lithium paradox In an increasingly hostile global landscape, Europe stands on shaky ground, heavily dependent on foreign nations for Li imports, a key element in meeting our climate goals. This reliance leaves Europe in a vulnerable position. Yet, in a twist of irony, Europe is home to abundant Li reserves spread across the continent. However, Europe currently struggles to convert these Li deposits into operational mines. The absence of Li mines is further compounded by a lack of Li refineries and #batteryrecycling facilities. The recently passed CRMA seeks to accelerate these processes by classifying key CRM initiatives as ‘#StrategicProjects. These projects must comply with the highest #ESG standards, prove technical and economic viability, and gain support from their respective national governments. Our documentary will explore how Europe could potentially mine, refine, and recycle Li in the future, supplemented by strategies for managing demand. We will highlight key European Li #mining projects (cf. Mina do Barroso, Portugal; Jadar, Serbia), trying to understand where the mining opposition comes from. 🍽 Funding: Horizon Europe LITHOS & KU Leuven / SIM2 KU Leuven 🎬 Watch our documentary “Made in Europe: from mine to electric vehicle” (2023 & 2024): https://lnkd.in/eE9k9smN (Journeyman Pictures). [Stijn van Baarle Peter Tom Jones] SME article: https://lnkd.in/eYQPKc7T