Join us for a timely discussion on the future of critical raw materials
Under the ongoing technological paradigm shift, critical natural resources and materials have become essential for emerging industries and innovation frontiers. Current disruptions in global supply chains – due to geopolitical conflicts, trade wars, political instability, etc. – have affected the availability of critical raw materials (CRMs), raising concerns about supply stability and calls for domestic production as a viable alternative. Recent EU initiatives, such as the Open Strategic Autonomy (OSA) and the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), represent strategies to secure a stable supply of such critical and strategic materials. However, these strategies may be over-reliant on domestic potential, applying a macro- and sector-driven approach that risks falling short in addressing key constraints, including local-level implications, limited and uncertain reserves, and inadequate technological and industrial capabilities of the regions concerned.
Meet our Speakers & Chair
Simona Iammarino is Professor of Applied Economics at the Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), Visiting Professor within the Department of Geography and Affiliate at the Canada Blanch Centre, LSE. Formerly Professor of Economic Geography and Head of Department at LSE, her research spans multinational corporations, globalisation and local economic development, innovation and technological change, and regional innovation systems. She has published over 70 journal articles, co-authored two books, and contributed to numerous policy reports. She is co-editor of the Journal of Economic Geography and serves on the RSA Board, with extensive experience in international research and consultancy projects for the EU, OECD, UN, and national governments.
Chair:
Vassilis Monastiriotis is Director, LSE Centre for Research on Contemporary Greece and Cyprus - Hellenic Observatory, Professor in Political Economy and Eleftherios Venizelos Chair of Contemporary Greek Studies at the European Institute, LSE.
More about this event
The LSE Athens Lectures series has been organised by the Hellenic Observatory of the London School of Economics for the period from 2014 to 2021. The series is relaunched in 2024-25 as a joint initiative of the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, MSc Programme Financial Technology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and the LSE Centre for Research on Contemporary Greece & Cyprus - Hellenic Observatory. For more information visit: www.lse.ac.uk/HO/Athens-Lectures
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