As a first step, FORAM has performed a comprehensive desk research to identify and characterise the existing EU and global initiatives and programmes, as well as data availability on raw materials at different steps of the value chain. With this practice, the project created an overview of the current situation and laid a solid foundation for the future orientation of the stakeholder dialogues. A total of 103 European and international multi-stakeholder initiatives were identified (Fig.1). Furthermore, a directory composed of 108 databases which have a focus on both primary and secondary raw materials was developed. With an international mineral policy contexts report, FORAM provided an overview of emerging future political agendas and visions that are likely to shape the future global contexts (Fig.2).
Based on a solid understanding of the current international challenges as well as policies and strategies on raw materials, FORAM developed a strategic position for a World Forum on Raw Materials. The anchor point was to define the values, vision, purpose and mission of a World Forum on Raw Materials, combined with an appraisal of stakeholders’ needs, existing factors of competition and the knowable core competences that can be gathered in a future Forum (Fig.3).
FORAM has set up a Stakeholder Network composed of more than 170 international experts coming from different sectors of the raw materials value chain and started a dialogue among these stakeholders. A structured dialogue was initiated by clustering the stakeholders into five target groups: 1) Innovation, Security of Supply and Growth, 2) Resource Efficiency, Environmental and Social Aspects, 3) Policies, Legal and Financial Frameworks, 4) International Cooperation and Outreach, 5) Research, Capacity building and Education. Through several rounds of online videoconferences as well as face-to-face discussions during the FORAM 18 Pilot Event (held on 27 June 2018 in Nancy, France), the stakeholders concluded that there is clear and urgent need for a global dialogue platform to contribute to improved international raw materials governance. Furthermore, they stressed that creating accurate data and making these globally accessible in a structured and harmonized way is a crucial support for improving international cooperation and knowledge exchange.
By analyzing the outcomes of all project activities, a synthesis report presents recommendations in two main areas: i) How to structurally improve international cooperation and knowledge exchange, and ii) An overview of policy recommendations for improved raw materials governance at global level.
During the stakeholder consultation process, a vivid interest in “breaking the silos” by improving international cooperation has been revealed. By compiling the outcomes of the project and in particular stakeholder’s recommendations, the FORAM project has proposed a roadmap and a number of organizational models for improving international cooperation on raw materials. These cooperation models cover a broad range of options ranging from “loose and informal cooperation” models to “establishment of a new entity” such as a World Forum on Raw Materials.
During two years of the project, several dissemination strategies and communication activities were performed. The main objectives of these tools were to create awareness about the project, to ensure that all the interested stakeholders are reached, as well as correctly and regularly informed about the project status. To measure the impact of these activities a series of key performance indicators were defined. Comparison of the achieved and expected results reveals that the project has successfully reached out to a broad group of stakeholders and has been able to establish a well-recognized identity among the community.
Deliverables are publicly available on project's website.
