Jack Barrie

The recent effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz illustrates how dependent modern economies are on complex, often poorly understood materials flows. Transparency remains limited when it comes to where many materials originate, how they move through global supply chains and what issues can affect them along the way. Strengthening materials systems will depend on combining system-level transparency on global materials flows with digital product passports that enable traceability.

Materials supply chains are deeply interconnected, with extraction, processing, manufacturing, use and recovery spanning many countries. They also face growing systemic risks, including geopolitical tensions, surging demand and intensifying climate and nature risks Business-level strategies can't address these issues alone but new forms of international cooperation can help to build resilience. Managing global materials supply chains is becoming more complex and contested.

Material systems can be made more resilient and sustainable through international collaboration. The challenge now is scaling and connecting them. Ahead of the Annual Meeting in Davos, six experts consider how international cooperation can help address the challenge of balancing material accessibility, productivity and sustainability in the material systems that underpin the global economy. Material systems can be made more resilient and sustainable through international collaboration.