Control variables for an absolute boundary for mineral resource use

Description

In Absolute Environmental Sustainability Assessments (AESA) environmental impacts attributed to a product system are compared to its assigned share of a carrying capacity (also referred to as absolute boundary). For climate and ecosystems, boundaries are well established, while for mineral resources, the definition of boundaries is not straightforward and lags behind. In our earlier work we have scrutinized the lines of thinking that have led the industrial ecologists and other scientists to propose absolute boundaries for mineral resources. This work revealed that the currently proposed boundaries for use of mineral resources lack the maturity required for reliable use as absolute boundaries in AESA. This includes methodological inconsistencies and a genereal lack of consensus over Areas of Protection or the location of the chosen control variables on the impact pathway. Here, to advance the absolute sustainability assessment of mineral resource use (1) we identify mechanisms that have the potential to lead to the transgression of an absolute boundary for mineral resources due to their impact on the recently defined acessibility-based area of protection for resource use. In parallel, we (2) identify processes which are irrelevant for transgressing a potential mineral resource boundary due to their focus on control variables that are inconsequential to an accessibility-based area of protection for resource use. Finally, we (3) suggest which control variables are suitable candidates for the definition of an improved boundary for mineral resources.

Period	30 Sept 2025
Event title	From Less Bad to Good Enough: The First Conference on Absolute Sustainability
Event type	Conference
Location	Helsingør, DenmarkShow on map