Research
Major global changes ranging from population growth, shifts in economic growth, decarbonization efforts to technological breakthroughs have led to a rapid increase in global demand for natural resources and raw materials. Confronted with framework conditions such as climate change, increasing scarcity of water and natural resources, and the globalization of production and trade, political and industrial decision-makers face the challenging task of promoting technological innovations that will pave the path for a low-carbon and circular economy while ensuring that raw material supplies to their nation’s industry remain competitive yet secure. To further complicate matters, in particular in democratic societies where public actors expects transparency and participatory decision-making, a lack of the social acceptance for decisions relating to technologies or natural resources are often associated with significant direct (e.g., increased costs resulting from delays, disruptions and/or changes) and indirect costs (e.g., public outrage, loss of trust). Hence, for many economies around the world, investment in innovative technologies, ensuring raw materials supply chain security and engaging social support for proposed developments/policies represent central topics for its industry and policymakers.
Both the energy and raw material systems are large-scale socio-technical systems made up of interrelated components and stakeholders connected in complex networks and infrastructures. The complexity of the decision-making environment thus makes it highly challenging for decision-makers to obtain a systemic and well-grounded overview i.e., a “big picture” of the socio-technological-economic-environmental-political (STEEP) components in their value chains, nor is it easy for them to evaluate how their decisions may lead to wide-ranging and unanticipated impacts. Research at the Chair of Decarbonization and Transformation of Industry (DTI) thus utilizes an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and intersectoral STEEP approach to assess transformation pathways and sustainability developments including:
- Transition from a linear to circular carbon economy;
- Recycling of strategic minerals and metals for a circular economy;
- Transition towards carbon-neutral and green industrial production;
- ….
Additionally, another focus of the Chair is to promote awareness and systemic understanding of energy and raw materials systems as well as to facilitate effective and successful knowledge transfer between science, industry, society and politics via science & technical communication.
Examples of science & technical communication videos previously developed in cooperation with partners: