From green to sustainable regionalism: why does it matter and how are we doing? A case study of the EU Raw Materials Regulation

Abstract

Green regionalism, coined by Hsieh as “a normative process for regional economic frameworks to integrate and operationalise environmental sustainability”, seeks to place environmental sustainability at the heart of economic policies. While of crucial importance, this paper takes the position that the quest for environmental protection cannot be pursued separately from the quest for social justice. For this reason, it develops the argument that regional economic frameworks should not just be ‘green’ but also ‘sustainable’ by integrating and operationalising both environmental and social sustainability. The paper shows that this is not just an ethical imperative, but a requirement under international law. It further evaluates the extent to which current practice reflects these normative expectations through a case study of the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Regulation (EUCRMR). It shows that the EUCRMR does indeed take a comprehensive approach and could thus be regarded as an example of sustainable regionalism. However, the paper also shows that the EUCRMR contains various loopholes that could undermine environmental and social sustainability. This paper argues that for regionalism to be truly sustainable, legal instruments like the EUCRMR must provide for environmental and social safeguards in all circumstances, not just so long as it is convenient.