The Responsible Electronics in the Climate Change Era (REC²) project aims to fundamentally transform how electronic devices are conceived, designed, produced, used, and disposed of in response to the challenges of climate change. While electronics are essential enablers of digitalization and climate solutions, they also contribute significantly to energy consumption, resource depletion, and the generation of electronic waste. REC² addresses this dual role by embedding environmental and social sustainability across all technology levels of electronics.
The project integrates expertise from natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, economics, and resource management to advance circular and sustainable electronics. Key research directions include the development of materials and components that can be disassembled on demand, reused, or biodegraded; energy-efficient and resource-saving system designs; and device architectures that enable ecologically and economically viable recycling. REC² also responds to the growing demand for ubiquitous sensing and communication by demonstrating innovative, self-sufficient electronic systems. It establishes theoretical, methodological, and normative foundations for responsibility in electronics, including the development of a tailored responsibility assessment framework. Through this integrated approach, REC² provides the scientific basis for electronics that align with circular-economy principles and responsible resource and energy management.
REC² promotes reuse, reduction, responsible replacement of critical materials, viable recycling pathways, safe treatment of non-recoverable materials, and respect for social and environmental limits across the electronics lifecycle. The project is led by TU Dresden in close collaboration with national and international partners, including UNU Resource Nexus, and brings together a strong interdisciplinary network of principal investigators and cooperation partners.
This project directly contributes to the UNU Resource Nexus Focus Area of Responsible Electronics and has funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) as an Excellence Cluster.
