European strategic autonomy for the twin transition: ambiguities and contradictions in a spatial perspective

The recent convergence of ecological, pandemic, and geopolitical crises has prompted a shift in European political and economic agendas, fueling substantial investments in strategic sectors. EU-level initiatives such as the European Green Deal and NextGeneration EU (NGEU) aim to promote transitions in member states towards more socio-ecologically sustainable societies, with substantial support from digital innovation. However, tensions may arise between these two “twin” transitions, the digital and the ecological, potentially generating conflicts and going against their stated objectives of achieving greater socio-economic and environmental sustainability. This chapter therefore concentrates on the implications of the twin transition by scrutinising the interactions between this European policy rhetoric and its spatial outcomes, focusing on Italy. By examining the "European Critical Raw Materials Act," which seeks to secure a supply of critical raw materials for the ecological and digital transitions within Europe, this chapter sheds light on a series of contradictions related to transition paradigms, territorial protection norms, and local views and interests. The chapter focuses on the ambiguities and contradictions generated by the re-opening of a cobalt mine in Italy within the framework of the Critical Raw Materials Act, as on the one hand, the project aims to strengthen strategic autonomy by increase production within the EU of materials that are indispensable for the digital and ecological transition. On the other hand, however, as a re-mining project, it clashes with decades of territorial protection policies and encounters opposition from local communities and other deep-rooted economic sectors, such as tourism.