According to the reports on critical raw materials for the EU, a raw material is considered critical if it has a high economic importance to the EU combined with high supply risk. Supply risk is considered to arise from a combination of several factors, namely a high concentration of production in countries with poor governance, limited material substitutability, and poor end-of-life recycling rates. A number of industry activities, policy initiatives and research projects have recently been initiated in Europe with the aim to secure an adequate supply of raw materials.
According to the reports on critical raw materials for the EU, a raw material is considered critical if it has a high economic importance to the EU combined with high supply risk. Supply risk is considered to arise from a combination of several factors, namely a high concentration of production in countries with poor governance, limited material substitutability, and poor end-of-life recycling rates. A number of industry activities, policy initiatives and research projects have recently been initiated in Europe with the aim to secure an adequate supply of raw materials.
As the technologies we use as a society have advanced, so have the materials used in these technologies. Some of these materials are exotic and highly specialized, making them particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions and supply disruptions particularly impactful. Such materials are designated as “critical” materials. Their level of criticality can be identified by accounting for a number of factors related to their supply risk and the extent to which a supply disruption would impact business operations or society at large.
Background: Older adults are at increased risk of malnutrition compared to their younger counterparts. Malnutrition screening should be conducted using a valid malnutrition screening tool. An aim of the Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life (HDHL) Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) ‘Malnutrition in the Elderly Knowledge Hub’ (MaNuEL) was to review the reported validity of existing malnutrition screening tools used in older adults.
This article explores how innovations can be used to advance goals 2 (zero hunger) and 12 (sustainable consumption and production). Nematicides - products for controlling soil-borne pests in root crops - are under threat of further regulation or withdrawal due to their toxicity. The Nematicide Stewardship Programme is demonstrating they can be used responsibly and safely to ensure their approval is maintained. But one farmer has taken it a step further by using technology to ensure his nematicide is applied accurately.
The deadline for employers to report their gender pay gaps passed at midnight on 4 April. At that point, 10,016 organisations had uploaded their data to the government's gender pay gap reporting website.
Supporting Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production, the PSI Sustainability Awards recognise the sustainable potential and distinct self-responsibility of the promotional products industry and award sustainability achievements comprehensively
Supporting Goal 12. Higher plastics recycling targets in the EU do not necessarily have to be detrimental to EU polymers producers, who will find new business opportunities in the recycling industry. EU countries will need to improve their recycling systems in order to achieve a more unified approach.
In de Souza E Souza v Primark Stores Ltd, the employment tribunal awarded £47,433 to a transgender employee who suffered harassment and recommended that the employer adopt a written policy on how to deal with new and existing staff who are transgender or who wish to undergo gender reassignment. This advances goal 8 (decent work and economic growth), goal 10 (reduced inequalities) and goal 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).
Forced migration is not a recent phenomenon, nor is the reality of the amount suffering of the displaced population fleeing from armed conflict. Finding housing for refugees has not only become an acute obligation for hosting countries but it is a situation predicted to continue, and possibly increase, in the future. This study is discussing and showing the results of the first phase of an ongoing project for designing and constructing an eco-cycle refugee shelter.
