Europe’s energy transition will require higher quantities of metals. Indeed, non-ferrous metals represent the building blocks of every conceivable climate technology including batteries, clean mobility, energy-efficient buildings, solar panels, and wind turbines.
The climate transition will challenge Europe’s industries to decarbonise in only one business cycle. The European non-ferrous metals industry has already made significant step changes since 1990, resulting in high levels of electrification and circularity. The sector’s further progress must now be supported by an EU industrial policy, which enables it to meet EU 2050 climate-neutrality objectives while thriving against global competition.
This study was commissioned by the non-ferrous metals industry and represents its consolidated contribution to the EU’s 2050 climate-neutral strategy. The study provides a comprehensive assessment of the EU’s industrial metals ecosystem, including the sector’s potential in the transition to climate-neutrality, and the challenges and constraints that will be faced along the way.
