Lithium Extraction, Circular Economy, and Clean Industry: Aligning Environmental Impact, Innovation, and Water Management

As the world accelerates its green transition, the demand for critical raw materials, such as lithium, is growing. But at what cost — and what role can nature play?

Join us on World Environment Day, during EU Green Week, for an engaging online event that brings together experts to explore the vital but often overlooked connection between wetlands and sustainable resource use.

Moderator: Fred Pearce, journalist

Speakers

• EU Representative: TBC;
• Roman Baigun, programme coordinator, Save High Andean Wetlands, Wetlands International Argentina;
• Santiago Valdes, University of Buenos Aires;
• Veronica Chavez, Indigenous community leader, Argentina ;
• Marco Bersani, CEO, Circular Materials. 

We'll discuss:

• The role of healthy wetlands in supporting the circular economy
• Wetlands' contributions to water resilience, biodiversity, and local livelihoods
• How wetland conservation aligns with EU priorities, including the Water Resilience Strategy, Circular Economy Strategy, and the Critical Raw Materials Act

🔹Why attend?
This event provides a fresh, cross-sectoral perspective on the importance of safeguarding ecosystems, such as wetlands, for a just, circular, and nature-positive green transition.

🔹Who should join?
Policy-makers, researchers, environmental NGOs, development practitioners, and anyone passionate about building a resilient future.

👉 Register here

Let’s celebrate World Environment Day by reconnecting the economy and ecology — and making wetlands part of the solution.