Practical information
As part of the Ifri Energy Breakfast Roundtable, a seminar with James B. Hedrick, President, Hedrick Consultant Inc, and Christian Hocquard, Expert and Economist, BRGM). Chaired by William C. Ramsay, Senior Fellow and Director of the Ifri Energy Program and Jacques Lesourne, President of the Scientific Committee of the Ifri Energy Program.
Den Xiaoping may have been right back in 1992 when he declared that while “Middle East has oil, China has rare earth”. Since 2000 the price of Rare Earth Elements, a group of 17 minerals, increased five-fold. The world markets until then very much focused on energy or water security of supply began to acknowledge the implications of the concentration of 95% rare earth production in China. In 2008, rare earths were labelled ‘highly critical" raw materials by an US National Research Council Report. China is aware of its clear market dominance as seen in its recent claim to reduce export quotas reduction and create a 200 000t strategic reserve.
Rare Earth Elements are needed in particular for high technologies products such as wind turbines, electronic consumer goods, nanotechnologies, clean vehicles batteries, motors and various military applications. A potential supply disruption could hamper the development of a green market economy as well as the refashioned industrial strategies in Europe designed to drag Europe out of the economic doldrums and ensure its future competitiveness.
Ahead of the European Commission review of its raw material initiative, this conference aims to assess the current situation regarding supplies, market developments, environment and challenges that lie ahead.
Other events
Brussels, Germany, France and Italy Facing the Energy and Industrial Crises: Coordinated or Diverging Trajectories?
Amidst soaring defense spending, higher borrowing costs, erosion of energy intensive industries, renewed energy price hikes and possibly physical shortages, the European Union and its Member States are again struggling to stabilize the European economies. Governments are tempted by uncoordinated, short-term moves while in Brussels, there is a struggle between the “more of the same” and the “scrap it largely” approaches to the transition.
Geopolitical stakes of the New Moon race
As the United States, China, and India solidify their lunar ambitions, Europe is still seeking to define its stance: should it be a reliable partner or an autonomous strategic player? This conference will examine the stakes of this new race to the Moon and Europe’s interest in asserting itself as a lunar power through partnerships, industrial ambitions, and whether its participation in the new lunar race serves as a lever for strategic autonomy and internal cohesion, or an illustration of its dependence.