CEGIST member Ana Carvalho, Principal Investigator at the SUSTAINS research area (SUSTainable solutions and Assessment for cIrcular ecoNomy Systems) and Associate Professor at the Department of Engineering and Management (DEG) IST, has been appointed as Portuguese representative on the Circularity Working Group that advises on EU policy regarding Critical Raw Materials.
The work of this group is expected to contribute to the implementation of the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) proposed by the European Commission in March 2023. These materials include lithium and rare earth metals and the Act is designed to reduce reliance on foreign players including China, and to ensure diversification of supply in a bid for the bloc to deliver the European Green Deal, the EU's plan to become carbon neutral by 2050. The Circularity Working Group will provide recommendation on how circular economy principles can be implemented so that less Critical Raw Materials are consumed.