Topic network Energy and Resources

The Energy and Resources topic network produces studies and recommendations on the energy supply and the availability and utilisation of natural resources. It focuses on the following issues:

• how to develop a future energy system that strikes the right balance between security of supply, profitability and environmental sustainability,
• the resources of the future – the availability, supply and distribution of energy resources, i.e. of fuels such as coal, oil, gas, biomass and water, and of resources and raw materials for future products and manufacturing processes, for example silicon and lithium,
• the availability of resources such as water, air and soil, and how to avoid contaminating them so that they can support future generations.

When evaluating the findings of its studies in order to formulate recommendations for decision-makers in government, academia and industry, the network focuses on the following aspects:

• an integrated, systemic approach in which the exploitation of energy resources, the supply and use of energy, the associated resource depletion, and resource consumption in general are treated as a system,
• identification of the key technical and non-technical factors for successful sustainable development of the energy system and resource utilisation,
• a holistic discussion of the results in the context of international efforts to combat climate change and sustainable economic and social development.