EU wants to mine the moon for clean energy resources

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🗞️ Driving the news: The European Commission has proposed space mining—beginning with the Moon—as a strategic priority to secure access to critical raw materials needed for clean energy technologies
• In its latest Strategic Foresight Report, the EU warns that global geopolitical instability and resource concentration in non-EU countries threaten Europe’s energy transition and economic security

🔭 The context: The EU currently imports the vast majority of essential materials like lithium, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements, which are crucial for batteries, wind turbines, and electric vehicles
• These materials are increasingly subject to geopolitical tensions, with dominant producers like China and Indonesia tightening export controls
• The Commission likens the situation to OPEC’s historic manipulation of oil markets and is urging proactive innovation to avoid future vulnerabilities

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Space mining could theoretically provide a low-carbon source of key minerals, reducing dependency on environmentally damaging terrestrial extraction
• However, it also raises substantial sustainability, legal, and ethical concerns
• If developed responsibly, lunar resource extraction could support clean energy technologies without exacerbating terrestrial ecological degradation—but the environmental impact of launching and operating such missions must be rigorously assessed

⏭️ What's next: The EU is expected to ramp up investment in space and advanced mining technologies, with potential pilot programs in the 2030s
• Collaboration with ESA (European Space Agency) and private aerospace firms is likely, though a robust international legal framework for extraterrestrial resource extraction is still lacking
• Simultaneously, the EU will continue expanding terrestrial critical mineral partnerships and recycling efforts to close short-term supply gaps 

💬 One quote: “There may be a growing emphasis on … advanced mining technologies including space mining, starting with the Moon,” states the European Commission’s 2025 Strategic Foresight Report

📈 One stat: The EU currently produces less than 1% of the world’s lithium—a critical element for battery storage—despite being one of the largest global consumers

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