St. Gallen, 3 May 2019 The World Resources Forum and its FORAM partners organise a parallel session on stepping up international raw materials cooperation at the EIT Raw Materials Summit, to be held in Berlin, May 21.

The EIT Raw Materials Summit session on “Stepping up International Cooperation” will focus on showcasing best practices in regulatory and financial frameworks for implementing raw materials policies, on national, regional and international levels, not only on primary raw materials but also on secondary raw materials and the circular economy. Promising ways and means for developing public awareness, acceptance and trust (“social development license to operate”), by means of communication, education and capacity building will be addressed.

Speakers include Stefan Bringezu, Uni Kassel, Rokhaya Samba, Ministry of Mine and Geology, Senegal, Marcin Sadowski, European Commission – Executive Agency for SMEs, Asja Mrotzek-Bloess, Clausthal University of Technology,  Peder Jensen, UN International Resource Panel, Martine Rohn-Brossard, Swiss Federal Office for the Environment. The session will be moderated by Slavko Solar, European Geological Surveys, and Bas de Leeuw, World Resources Forum.

The session will take stock of international initiatives for establishing UN-based conventions or international regulations, on supply-chain transparency, social and environmental standards and policy frameworks, as well as certification schemes to improve responsible mining and sourcing practices, and the potential of raw material sectors to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Progress made will be reported to the upcoming World Resources Forum 2019, to be held in Geneva, October 22-24, 2019 as well as to the Raw Materials Week, to be held in Brussels, November 18-22, 2019.

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The project Towards a World Forum on Raw Materials (FORAM) (2016-2018) has set up a global platform of international experts and stakeholders that aims at strengthening international cooperation among G20 Member countries as well as other third countries active in the extraction, processing and recycling of mineral raw materials.

The project supports the implementation of the Raw Materials Initiative and the Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials. Together with its Advisory Board and the established platform of international experts and stakeholders the FORAM Stakeholders Network has got inputs from more than 200 decision-makers and thought leaders in the sector worldwide.

​The following priorities for strengthening international cooperation worldwide have been identified:

• Innovation, security of supply and growth

• Resource-efficiency, environmental and social aspects

• Policies, legal and financial frameworks

• International cooperation and outreach

• Research, capacity building and education