Short study ‘Use and reduction potential of base metals’

on behalf of PowerShift e.V.

Authors: Monika Dittrich, Sonja Limberger, Birte Ewers, Florian Petri, Anja Kathan

Due to the associated environmental risks and their classification as critical or strategic raw materials, this brief study aims to identify potential savings in the use of the base metals iron, copper, aluminium and nickel in Germany and the EU. The aim is to broaden the current social and political discourse, which often focuses on lithium, cobalt, rare earths and graphite (BMWK 2019; Noyan 2023), and to promote discussion of potential savings in the use of base metals, which are highly relevant in terms of quantity. The implementation of reduction measures is a matter of considerable urgency in the context of global and social justice, ecological and climate-related issues, and with regard to the security of supply in Germany and the EU.