Expert discussion: New energies, new conflicts over resources?

At a technical meeting that took place at the Federal Environment Ministry, experts from politics, science and civil society discussed the potential threats of future resource conflicts and how these can best be avoided.

The results of a two-year research project titled "Sustainable Prevention of Resource Conflicts" (ROHKON) – carried out by adelphi and the Wuppertal Institute on behalf of the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) – served as a basis for discussion. Moira Feil, Dennis Tänzler, and Lukas Rüttinger outlined the range of potential conflict situations and presented the results of selected case studies and scenarios on lithium and rare earth materials, which are of upcoming importance.

The focus of the ensuing discussion, attended by representatives of several federal ministries, implementing agencies and scientific institutions, was on the evaluation of policy recommendations that are presented in one of the eight research reports.