Example of ongoing cooperation – international materials data hub BOX 2 To address the issue of fragmented, inconsistent and inaccessible data on flows of materials, Systemiq and the International Chamber of Commerce, with support from other stakeholders, are exploring the merits of establishing an international materials data hub. The idea received strong support from stakeholders consulted for this report. Conceived as a global public good, such a hub could act as a central platform for synthesizing existing data on materials, improving access and usability rather than generating new datasets. It could provide harmonized, open-access data linking national and regional material flow accounts, international models such as Exiobase and data from intergovernmental organizations, industry and research institutions. Through standardized metadata, methodological guidance and visualization tools, such a hub could enhance global consistency and comparability while delivering practical value across the following three core functions: –Industrial and trade strategy: Mapping cross-border flows of materials to strengthen supply-chain resilience, identify value-addition opportunities and support planning through better visibility of stocks, flows and product lifetimes. –Environmental and social impact insights: Integrating geospatial and site-level data on emissions, water use and biodiversity to inform infrastructure planning, risk assessment and investment decisions. –Data completeness and analytical capability: Using artificial intelligence and other tools to address data gaps, improve data quality, support comparability across datasets and, where relevant, assist in monitoring risk-prone activities such as illegal mining, processing and waste operations. Areas for further cooperation Clarify how a materials data hub can add distinct system-level value beyond existing datasets. Following growing interest in a materials data hub, an important next step is to clarify how such an approach could generate system-level value distinct from the current landscape of materials flow databases and transparency initiatives. This includes reflecting on which functions are best delivered through a shared hub – such as data synthesis, methodological alignment and decision-ready analytics – and which are better left with existing data providers. As part of the hub’s formation, careful consideration would need to be given to sequencing, scope and governance to ensure neutrality, trust and equitable participation, while avoiding duplication and unnecessary complexity. Beyond exploring the merits of a materials data hub, executives interviewed for this report highlighted the value of an international cooperative effort to improve the mapping of strategic materials for the clean energy transition, such as copper, nickel, lithium and cobalt, where data transparency is particularly limited and supply-chain risks are intensifying. Concentrating early efforts on these materials could help demonstrate near-term value, support risk management and inform policy and investment decisions. It could also build on the work of existing international cooperation, such as: –Seventh Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), held in December 2025, which aimed to strengthen international cooperation on the environmentally sound management of minerals and metals. –UN Task Force on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, which hosts a dedicated technical cluster on traceability.PRIORITY ACTION The Future of Materials Systems: Cooperation Opportunities in a Multipolar World 20

The Future of Materials Systems 2026