This handbook comprehensively covers topics in international relations, with a specific focus on China-Europe-Africa relations. This triangular relationship brings substantial contribution for the formation of an emergent new international order. With China being the second largest economy, and a growing power in military, technology, trade and cultural relations, the book provides decisive research on the key aspects that ground the country's external relations with Europe and Africa. The first three parts of the book covers issues related to strategy, economy, and security, with specific case studies. In addition, the fourth part, not only focuses on China-Europe-Africa, but also extends to chapters on multilateralism and relations with other countries, regions, and economic communities. In doing so, the book also addresses topics on the Ukraine war, Covid-19, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Gateway, and the balance of major powers.

Deep-sea mining is currently in a critical phase wherein, detailed resource estimation has led to identification of potentially rich areas on the seafloor that can be mined, as well as testing of pre-prototype seabed mining machines and establishment of pilot plants for processing of deep-sea minerals is underway. This coupled with rigorous environmental data collection along with impact assessment of simulated as well as test mining is not only providing requisite information for likely impacts for development of predictive models  but also for developing mitigation measures to minimise such impacts. Interest in mining the seafloor deposits as potential source of critical metals has been enhanced in the current century owing to the rising population and consumer demands, as well as the fact that these minerals contain battery metals such as Co, Ni, Mn besides copper that can help transition to green energy alternatives. However, concerns over ecological impacts on marine ecosystems and those related to economic, social and cultural implications need to be addressed for ensuring sustainable mining of seabed mineral resources. With this in view, this fifth book in the series of ''Deep-sea Mining'', focusses on issues related to management, policy and regulation. The book is divided into the following five sections:   I - General issues on resource potential and future prospects  II - Resource and environmental data management III - Approaches towards environmental monitoring IV - Techno-economic considerations for commercial deep-sea mining  V - Implementation of Law of the sea and Establishment of

This book discusses the methods of biorecovery of various metals and includes current challenges and prospects of biorecovery of metals. Millions of tons of electrical and electronic equipment wastes are being generated worldwide out of which a very small fraction is properly collected and recycled, while the majority ends up in landfills. Loss of critical raw materials in this represents an unnecessarily high cost to the economy and a pressing need to develop cheap and sustainable recycling process. Bacteria such as Cupriavidus sp. can tolerate high concentration of metals such as silver and extracellularly synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Such solubilize metals owing to various metabolic products thus help in biologically recovering these resources.

As the world accelerates towards a renewable energy transition, the demand for critical raw materials (CRMs) for energy generation, conversion, and storage technologies is seeing a drastic increase. Such materials are not only subject to limited supply and extreme price volatility but can also represent serious burdens to the environment, to human health, and also to socio-political systems. Taking an interdisciplinary perspective, this book provides a novel perspective on the discussion about material dependencies of energy technologies. It examines CRMs use in fuel cells, an emerging energy conversion technology, and discusses governance strategies for early-stage fuel cell development to predict and avoid potential issues.

Geoethics for the Future: Facing Global Challenges offers the latest points of view on highly topical issues in geosciences, including climate change, sustainable development, and energy transition, enabling readers to acquire multifaceted knowledge of topics of global relevance and highlighting the importance of the issues affecting geosciences in the 21st Century. The book outlines how geoethical considerations are integral in providing new insights and analyses for improving the theoretical structure of geoethics and its practical applications, with an aim to create conditions for sharing perspectives on the best ways for implementing scientific action to face global anthropogenic changes.

Handbook of Recycling, Second Edition is an authoritative review of the current state of recycling, reuse and reclamation processes commonly implemented today, and how they interact with one another. Fully updated to cover recent developments in the field, this second edition has also been restructured to cover general aspects of recycling, applications, technology, recovery and collection, economics, governance and policy. Several new chapters on global recycled material flows, sludges, reinforced plastics, and landfill mining have been added. It concludes with a review of the policy and economic implications, including the impact of recycling on energy use, sustainable development, and the environment.

Mining and Processing Residues: Future's Source of Critical Raw Materials provides a comprehensive review of principal aspects of CRM-containing residues re-processing, including available sampling and analytical techniques, the latest available processing technologies, authorization and legal matters, and analysis of environmental, social, and economic impacts. Suitable for academic researchers, practicing engineers and students, the book is aimed at giving a complete and multilateral view of CRM recovery from the residues.

Plastic films, glass optical fibers, silicon crystals, and more -- this book is about the history of the materials that have rapidly transformed our society over the last century and their role in the major global challenges of the future. From metal alloys ushering in a new age of industry to advanced materials laying the atomic brickwork of the Digital Revolution, the book examines the societal impact of the modern materials revolution through the twin lenses of stability and sustainability. Why aren't maglev trains mainstream? Whatever happened to graphene and carbon nanotubes? The book also looks at the unmet promises of some of the most exciting -- and hyped -- technologies in recent decades -- superconductivity and nanotechnology. The final chapter reviews our history of materials usage, the increasing demand for many critical raw materials, and addresses the upcoming new challenges for creating a circular economy based on reusing and recycling materials.

This edited book investigates whether ─ and if so, to what extent ─ the European Union began to turn its recently uttered ambition of becoming a geopolitical Union into practice. It does so by bringing a range of scholars from various institutions and disciplines ─ among others, political science, European law, European studies ─ together, asking them whether in their specific field, they can observe a geopolitical turn in the European Union's policy-making. The result of this intellectual endeavour can be found in this book; a book that makes a first attempt at empirically testing the Union's ability to effectively respond to ever- and rapidly-changing conditions for conducting international politics in a rule-based system.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of four waste streams expected to become relevant: Li-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems, motors for electric vehicles, photovoltaic panels, and composite materials from wind turbines. The text examines the state-of-art of recovery technologies to extract valuable resources, addressing the increasing demand for critical and strategic raw materials. It provides an in-depth review of available recycling technologies, from mechanical methods, to hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes and chemical recovery. Each technology is discussed with its respective key features, strengths, and drawbacks, also from the environmental standpoint. A thorough evaluation of European regulatory frameworks for relevant end of life management is presented. The book also surveys the existing plant infrastructure in Europe, highlighting where treatment and recycling infrastructures are more developed and where instead there is the need to further expand the treatment capacity.