The complexity of current ecological challenges requires to elaborate new methods to understand the way we interact with the environment and to eradicate the anachronistic human-centred conception of nature. Scientists, governments and regulators are asked to create a “justice” capable to reframe the concept of nature as an active player, in line with the notion of Ecological Justice (EJ). Counting on a consortium of 9 international interdisciplinary forefront academic (universities and research centers) and non-academic institutions (a for-profit company and NGOs) in EU and Latin America, Speak4Nature aims to develop new socio-legal instruments and methodologies to provide a common theoretical and operational basis in social and environmental sciences to give voice to non-human beings in legal instances, and to contribute to the creation of a shared vision towards the treatment of “nature” itself useful for the adaptation of the political process to the current ecological challenges. In particular, Speak4Nature will aim to: SO1) conceptualize EJ from a multidisciplinary, intersectoral, and international perspective; SO2) define why, how and under what influence different social sciences extend moral considerability to non-human nature; SO3) map the current social and legal techniques to assert the voice of non-human nature; SO4) empower civil society and stakeholders’ role in ecological awareness, restoration and climate change litigation; SO5) ensure the uptake of project outcomes by developing practical guidelines and training tools on legal techniques and standards to implement EJ principles in disputes over environmental violations. Through interdisciplinary and intersectoral secondments and knowledge transfer mechanisms, Speak4Nature will increase the skills of the involved staff to foster the study, exchange and dissemination of knowledge on issues related to the ecology of law, contributing to the improvement of EJ standards and policies.

The problem addressed by the OPTIMINER project is multi-faceted and significant in the European context. Europe's mining industry is grappling with the pressing need to efficiently and sustainably recover CRMs from increasingly complex and low-grade ores. OPTIMINER offers a comprehensive solution to Europe's mining challenges, encompassing five Key Exploitable Results (KERs). REMINER focuses on advanced technologies for efficient CRM recovery. These include smart ore sorters, membrane-based hydrometallurgical processes, bioleaching, and phytomining. They will comprise a marketplace of technologies that will be offered to the extractive industry through an innovative AI-enabled CRM Recovery Selector. DIGIMINER offers a digital platform for smart monitoring and control. It is enhanced with a Decision Support System and an NLP-based digital assistant, the Virtual Miner. Moreover, Digital Twins of the recovery pilot plants will be created to optimise productivity and provide with simulation capacities. ECOMINER delivers services enhancing sustainability and resilience. It boosts resource management and efficiency by designing a toolkit to optimise energy, water usage and waste valorisation, along with strategies for toxicity management and LCA. Financial sustainability is tackled by using an AI-enabled Market Observatory system to provide knowledge support and resilience to the end user. DEMOMINER showcases pilot lines for CRM recovery across different materials and geographical locations. Specifically, we are proposing 6 use cases in Spain, Greece, Poland, Finland and Chile, while focusing on CRM recovery, namely magnesium, tungsten, REE (esp. Neodymium), Copper, Cobalt and Coking Coal. GLOBEMINER promotes increased awareness and market uptake, highlighting the strategic EU-Chile strategic cooperation. Together, these components form an integrated approach to revolutionize CRM recovery, ensuring environmental sustainability and operational efficiency.

REMHub project proposal will create a cutting-edge digital innovation hub propelling EU excellence for Rare Earth Elements (REEs ) and magnets. REMHub will develop test and pilot novel technologies for exploration and primary production of rare earths and recovering rare earths from side streams to enhance supply security of REEs in EU. In addition, Re-X (Recycle, Reuse, refurbishment and repurposing) technologies for rare earths and valuable metals from end-of-life products as well as electric machine design for easier permanent magnet recycling will be developed. The project will also identify and engage relevant stakeholders for developing REE value chain in EU. In addition, in the innovation hub will ensure that the novel technologies developed in the project will be commercialized and offered as services in a digital platform. The project will also have dynamic communication and dissemination with the aim to involve and engage the public to develop trust and awareness related to REEs as well as to build capacity in EU. The hub targets transformative material sourcing for REEs and REE magnets, including traceability, digital twinning, and digital passport. The project partners cover the entire REE value chain starting from mineral exploration, through mineral processing and refining to metal production and magnet making as well as recycling. The project incorporates safe and sustainable by design framework (SSbD) including design for Re-X (recycling, re-use, refurbishment, repurposing) approach integrating easy dismantling and circularity properties. REMHub will significantly improve the supply security of REEs in the EU and with the digital innovation hub considerably accelerate the development of technologies and services to faster and easier market entry.