The Future of Materials Systems 2026

The three areas are also mutually reinforcing. Improved data transparency and traceability provide a shared evidence base for understanding the flows and impacts of materials, enabling the development of interoperable standards. Robust and consistent standards facilitate trade and market cooperation by reducing friction, improving regulatory predictability and supporting investment across primary and secondary materials value chains. During the Forum’s survey, the priority to improve data transparency and traceability emerged as the most immediate and broadly supported entry point for deeper cooperation, underpinning progress across the other two areas. Executives consistently emphasised that without a shared, trusted evidence base on the flows, impacts and risks of materials, any efforts to align standards or improve trade cooperation would be constrained. The remainder of this chapter explores the challenges associated with each priority area, relevant ongoing initiatives and priority actions for further cooperation (summarised in Table 2). During the Forum’s survey, the priority to improve data transparency and traceability emerged as the most immediate and broadly supported entry point for deeper cooperation. Summary of opportunities for stronger international cooperation in priority areas TABLE 2 Challenges to address Selected ongoing initiatives Priority actions for further cooperation Data traceability & transparency Fragmented and inconsistent availability of data related to flows of materials and associated environmental/social impacts– International materials data hub (see Box 2) – Clarify how a materials data hub can add ------distinct system-level value beyond existing ------datasets Risk of incompatibility and reporting duplication of digital product passport (DPP) schemes – UN Transparency Protocol (UNTP) ---(see Box 3) – UNECE and ISO initiative on UNTP DPPs – Global Battery Alliance (GBA)– Create interoperable, sector-specific UNTP ---extensions to enable cross-border DPP ---alignment International standards Overlapping and fragmented mining standards (high compliance costs)– Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative ---(CMSI) (see Box 4)– Design credible benchmarks to improve ---comparability, trust and usability across ---responsible mining standards Lack of international standards for circular activities – Global Circularity Protocol (GCP) for ---Business (see Box 5) – ISO 59000 Circular economy series ---(see Box 5)– Identify principal gaps in international technical ---standards for key circular economy activities Trade & market cooperation Opaque and volatile minerals markets Limited coordination on supply, demand and by-products – G20 Critical Minerals Framework ---(see Box 6) – G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan ---(see Box 6)– Improve coordination on forecasting, ---transparency and accountability across ---strategic minerals supply chains Trade rules misaligned with circular economy– WTO Trade And Environmental ---Sustainability Structured Discussions ---(TESSD) informal working group on the ---circular economy – Framework for Circular Economy for the ---ASEAN Economic Community (see Box 7)– Identify and pilot practical solutions to remove ---trade barriers affecting secondary materials ---and refurbished or remanufactured products Notes: ASEAN = Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ISO = International Standards Organization, UNECE = United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, WTO = World Trade Organization. The Future of Materials Systems: Cooperation Opportunities in a Multipolar World 18