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Society, the environment, culture, and the economy are the four components that make up sustainable development. These components are not distinct from one another but rather interwoven. To look about the future through the lens of sustainability is to do so in a way that strikes a healthy balance between environmental, societal, and economic concerns in the interest of achieving an enhanced quality of life. For instance, a wealthy civilization is dependent on a healthy ecosystem in order to provide its residents with food and resources, as well as safe drinking water and clean air.
A reasonable question to ask is, “What is the difference between sustainable development and sustainability?” It is common practise to view sustainability as an endpoint (that is, a more sustainable world), but sustainable development refers to the myriad of steps and strategies that can be taken to arrive there that destination (e.g. sustainable agriculture and forestry, sustainable production and consumption, good government, research and technology transfer, education and training, etc.).
Raw materials are of paramount significance to society as a whole, as well as the shift toward a more environmentally conscious economy in particular. They are essential to the accomplishment of the objectives outlined in COP21 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, as well as the objectives of the European 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Resource Efficiency Initiative. The transition toward a circular economy places a premium on metals, minerals, and other raw resources, as well as the sustainable supply and consumption of those commodities.
Sustainable raw materials use
The availability of essential metals is taking on an increasingly significant role. Europe is increasingly depending on closed economic cycles and the recycling of precious raw materials in order to supply the growing demand for their goods. Because there are only so many places where natural raw materials can be found, it is imperative that they be treated carefully so that none of them are wasted.
Primary and secondary raw materials
The extraction of primary raw materials from their respective natural resources typically involves relatively complicated production processes. This results in a greater demand of energy, a significant increase in the amount of CO2 emissions, and the difficulty that many resources are in finite supply. Many recyclable materials can be repurposed as secondary resources in production processes once the leftovers and garbage from those processes have been treated.
The value of important raw materials is retained
In many instances, secondary raw materials may be recycled into new goods without suffering any quality reductions as a result of the process. When materials are recycled, not only is there a significant reduction in the amount of energy that is used, but there is also no waste (such as excavation material) produced in the first place.
The recycling of non-ferrous metals, iron, plastics, glass, and a wide variety of other raw materials allows industry to continue functioning with minimal adverse effects on the environment. Today, there is a network that spans all of Europe that is dedicated to the commercial reuse of reusable resources and the wholesale trading of these products in order to guarantee that the requisite amounts are always accessible.
Conclusion
From the standpoint of the value chain for raw materials, there are three goals that are essential to the circular economy: bringing materials into the loop in an environmentally responsible manner, maintaining materials in the loop for as long as is practically possible, and reducing waste at every stage. The objective here is to come up with clever solutions for the sustainable extraction, processing, and use/repair/recycling of raw materials derived from either primary or secondary sources. In addition to this, it is necessary for us to make certain that spent materials and goods are incorporated into the life cycles of new products in a manner that is both economically and energetically beneficial.
