Developing an EU International Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management to support UNRMS

Sustainable use of mineral resources that we need for energy storage, power generation and the transition to climate neutrality, and which is at the same time more efficient and integrated, can be achieved by orchestrated activities to harmonise and careful manage data on reserves and resources. This makes an opportunity to build on EU level mineral intelligence by developing a capacity building and knowledge centre in support to the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS). UNRMS is represented by the principles and requirements on sustainable resource management, set by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

On that purpose the Horizon Europe´s Coordination and Support Action acronymed GSEU is establishing the Geological Service for Europe, which will include an EU International Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management (EU ICE SRM). The objective of the EU ICE SRM will be promotion and capacity building on the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) - an international scheme for the classification and management of energy, mineral and raw material resources (UNECE, 2023) that takes into account the degree of confidence, technical feasibility and social-economic-environmental aspects of a project.

The EU ICE SRM will thus support UNRMS by capacity building and promotion of the resources needed to accomplish the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNECE, 2020). It will operate as a network of partners and experts to assist the decision makers and key stakeholders in resource management.

References:

UNECE, 2020: Criteria for ICE-SRM Designation

https://unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/energy/se/pdfs/UNFC/ICE-SRM/20200925_EGRM-11-2020-INF3_ICE.SRM_Criteria___ToR_Final.pdf

UNECE, 2023: What is UNFC? https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/What-is-UNFC_E.pdf