Background
The information found within this free e-course builds on the Green and Sustainable Chemistry Framework Manual which was developed in consultation with experts from industry, academia, government, international organizations and NGO’s.
Many organizations have worked to define and describe sustainable chemistry or have developed principles for safety and sustainability for chemistry applications, including environmental justice principles centered around chemicals management.
A research report titled Incentivizing Sustainable Chemicals: A Policy Framework for Innovation, Manufacturing, and Market Transformation, released by Change Chemistry and the Sustainable Chemistry Catalyst at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, outlines why government incentives are critical to helping businesses scale more sustainable chemicals — and how those incentives can reduce risk, unlock investment, and enable real market adoption.
As global sustainability challenges become more complex and interconnected, the engagement of scientists, and specifically early-career chemists in policymaking, is gaining urgency. This perspective highlights the current status of science policy engagement in chemistry across all continents. It identifies key institutional models, regional disparities and opportunities for action. Using examples from Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania, we explore how chemists are engaging and shaping the science policy interface.
