The CIRAN Project

CrItical RAw materials extraction in enviroNmentally protected areas.

The aim of CIRAN is to reconcile two, sometimes conflicting, societal objectives and needs: protecting environmentally sensitive areas and increasing socio-economic resilience. In an era of uncertainty and demanding outcomes for people and government, CIRAN will deliver a functional solution to resolve such conflicting interests with the help of endorsed ‘social contract’ models that consider the dynamics, links, and complexity of coupled social-ecological systems, enabling streamlined permitting and policymaking processes, to be taken up and  continuously adapted/improved by a Community of Practice that will remain active after the project funding period.

  • 1.

    Define systemic and integrated permitting procedures

    • Benchmarking of best practice in permitting procedures, enabling factors and performance metrics, based on case studies.
    • Nexus view of cross-sectoral policy coordination and integration covering economic, environmental and social dimensions, combined with drivers of change
  • 2.

    Define a modern policy and novel social contract frameworks

    • Assessment of emerging technologies and breakthrough innovations
    • Development of a new logical framework for policymaking and permitting, based on co-creation and transparent consultation processes.
  • 3.

    Develop a community of practice that remains active after the funding period

    • Creation of the CIRAN Forum, with active engagement of professionals from national, regional and local authorities (covering land-use, nature conservation, mineral exploration, etc.), industry and civil society representatives, focused on capacity-building and exchange of best practice.

Long lasting impacts of CIRAN

  • Define systemic and integrated permitting procedures

    • Benchmarking of best practice in permitting procedures, enabling factors and performance metrics, based on case studies.
    • Nexus view of cross-sectoral policy coordination and integration covering economic, environmental and social dimensions, combined with drivers of change
  • Define a modern policy and novel social contract frameworks

    • Assessment of emerging technologies and breakthrough innovations
    • Development of a new logical framework for policymaking and permitting, based on co-creation and transparent consultation processes.
  • Develop a community of practice that remains active after the funding period

    • Creation of the CIRAN Forum, with active engagement of professionals from national, regional and local authorities (covering land-use, nature conservation, mineral exploration, etc.), industry and civil society representatives, focused on capacity-building and exchange of best practice.

Stay informed

News, articles, events… all related to the CIRAN project.

SOTEU 2023: Von der Leyen Stresses the Importance of Developing Domestic EU Value Chains for Critical Raw Materials

In her recent State of the European Union (STOEU) speech, delivered…

INTRAW Presents CIRAN at the Second RawMat International Conference in Athens

This past August 29th, CIRAN was presented at the 2023 RawMat…