Increasing Security of Supply and Competitiveness Through Monitoring of the Physical Economy in Companies and Along Supply Chains

MinFuture Business Brief (D6.4.2)

Publication: Policy Brief
Citation: Araujo Sosa, A.; Hirschnitz-Garbers, M.; Müller, D.; Rechberger, H.; and Liu, G. (2018). Increasing security of supply and competitiveness through monitoring of the physical economy in companies and along supply chains. MinFuture Business Brief (D6.4.2); Ecologic Institute: Berlin

The MinFuture project has developed a framework aimed at providing guidance on how to perform a more systematic physical accounting, as well as steps to help implement such a system. The MinFuture Business Brief is available for download.

The key recommendations are:

Establish physical accounting linked to financial accounting at site and company levels in order to gain new insights into potentials for improving resource efficiency, reducing costs, and to simplify and clarify reporting.
Develop, in cooperation with other businesses and government organisations, a monitoring of the physical economy along the supply chain in order to obtain insights into opportunities and risks for supply chain security, recycling and environment strategies, alternative business models, and procurement practices.

MinFuture Guidance Documentation for Dissemination and Communication

Year 2017

Publication:Document

Kemper, Melanie 2017: MinFuture Web Platform Concept – www.minfuture.eu – Milestone MS8, Berlin, August 2017, unpublished.

MinFuture Web Platform Concept

Year 2017

Publication:Policy Brief

Many of today’s large societal challenges, such as climate change mitigation, resource security, urbanisation and migration require a fundamental transformation of the way we use natural resources. However, our understanding of the stocks and flows of materials and energy (the physical economy) is highly fragmented and involves significant knowledge gaps. The MinFuture project developed a framework aimed at providing guidance on how to perform more systematic monitoring of the physical economy, as well as steps helping to implement such a system. The MinFuture Policy Brief is available for download.

Fostering Resource Security and Sustainable Development through improved monitoring of the Physical Economy

MinFuture Policy Brief (D6.4.1)

Year 2018

Publication:Fact Sheet

Robust strategies for sustainable resource management depend on a solid understanding of the physical economy – the anthropogenic stocks and flows of matter and energy. MinFuture provides a framework for the description and monitoring of the physical economy using Material Flow Analysis (MFA). It distinguishes and visualises seven components, which are organised in a hierarchical structure (pyramid). This factsheet presents the framework and summarizes the project results.

Monitoring the Physical Economy

Year 2018

Publication:Postcard

As part of the visual identity for project "Global Material Flows and Demand-supply Forecasting for Mineral Strategies" (MinFuture), Ecologic Institute designed promotional flyers in small postcard format. The postcards summarize general objectives and aims of the project, are styled according to the project style-guides and draw the reader's attention to facts about mineral usage. The three postcards also contain contact information and a QR-code directing to the project website.

What Do All These Items Have in Common? Cobalt – MinFuture Postcard

Year 2017 - 2018

Publication:Conference Paper

The goal of MinFuture is to develop a common methodology to mineral raw material flows at global level, which can be agreed and used at international level. The goal is not to collect data but to support data collectors. Hence this methodology workshop served to discuss how MinFuture could support data collectors, providers and users. The MinFuture Workshop Synthesis Brief is available for download.

MinFuture – Methodology Development Workshop Synthesis Brief

Year 2018

Publication:Conference Paper

The MinFuture workshop "Enhancing data robustness on global level" served to present and test the MinFuture approach of placing statistical data in a system context so that global information flows on mineral raw material become less fragmented and provide a more complete, comprehensive and realistic picture. The MinFuture Workshop Synthesis Brief is available for download.

Global Material Flows and Demand-Supply Forecasting for Mineral Strategies – Workshop Brief

MinFuture Workshop Synthesis Brief

Year 2018

Publication:Flyer

The MinFuture flyer illustrates the main project outline, objectives and modules. An overview of the project process is illustrated, together with details of the partner countries implementing the project. The flyer is styled according to the project style-guides, contains contact information and an QR-code directing to the project website.

EU Project "MinFuture" to Improve Global Mineral Raw Material Information Flows – Flyer

Year 2018

Publication:Postcard

What Do All These Items Have in Common? Aluminium – MinFuture Postcards

Year 2017 - 2018

Language: English
Authorship: Ariel Araujo

Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers

Daniel Müller (NTNU)

Gang Liu (SDU)
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation (DG Research & Innovation), International
Published by: Ecologic Institute, Germany
Year: 2018
Dimension: 6 pp.
Project: Global Material Flows and Demand-supply Forecasting for Mineral Strategies (MinFuture)
Project ID: 2807
Table of contents: Click to show full table of contents

Summary
Key recommendations
1 What is the need for monitoring raw material stocks and flows?
2 What are challenges for monitoring physical raw material flows in and across companies?
3 What could be done to improve physical monitoring?
MinFuture Framework – A possible improvement for monitoring the physical economy
4 How could this be achieved?
References
Further reading
Keywords: Indicators

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Trade

Further Links

MinFuture project website