Batteries fit for Europe: RECHARGE calls for social and environmental key indicators
Advanced rechargeable batteries are a key enabler for the transition towards low-emission mobility and
decarbonised energy generation. Without them, the target of a climate-neutral economy by 2050 and the
2°C Paris Agreement goal cannot conceivably be reached. Indeed, batteries’ applications in the automotive, industrial vehicles and (renewable) energy sectors are key tools for this transition. In the transport sector, the hybridisation and electrification of vehicles reduce CO2 emissions, while the use of batteries in industrial vehicles supports both decarbonisation and noise reduction. In the energy sector, batteries are necessary to store renewable energy and contribute to the stability of the electrical grid.
Moreover, batteries power everyday applications, such as smartphones, tablets, power tools, and robots and have become a significant job engine for millions of people around the world.
For these reasons, working on the sustainable development of the industry and ensuring a high level of
environmental and social benefits of batteries is a mission of great value to society.
In May 2018, the European Commission adopted a Strategic Action Plan for Batteries that sets out measures to support the establishment of a European battery value chain worth up to an expected €250 billion by 2025. The Action Plan stresses the need for a coherent regulatory framework which will enable a competitive battery industry based on innovative and sustainable products.
The Commission’s Action Plan suggests applying sustainability requirements to all batteries placed on
the EU market, triggering the launch of an Initiative on Sustainability Requirements for Batteries.
The advanced rechargeable and lithium batteries industry in Europe, represented by RECHARGE,
welcomes the Sustainable Batteries Policy Initiative of the European Commission. It calls upon
policymakers to extend current legal requirements applicable in the industry to a set of key
environmental and social indicators.
- Carbon footprint content as a pivotal environmental and qualitative indicator
- Mandatory requirements for human, social and labour rights along the value chain
- Traceability of materials throughout the lifecycle of a battery
- Recycling of high-impact materials for improved resource efficiency
- Facilitation of repair and refurbishment to extend the lifetime of batteries
Download the RECHARGE manifesto on
“Batteries Fit For Europe: Key Sustainability Indicators for a Striving European Battery Industry”