Cop26: together for our planet
The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, better known as Cop26, held in Glasgow, UK, is a crucial opportunity for world leaders to gather and agree how nations will work together to reduce and mitigate the impacts of climate change. There is much at stake, and many political, economic and societal factors are involved in overcoming this global challenge. One thing of which we can be certain is that chemical science will make a significant contribution to the innovations and technologies needed for a greener future.
Mineralisation makes chemical recycling of fluoropolymers a possibility
By using molten sodium hydroxide, researchers show they can produce fluorite from fluoropolymers in a two-step process
Split-cell design behind batteries that degrade and get absorbed by their environment
Batteries that breakdown on their own could help minimise electronic waste
Warning that carbon capture not a silver bullet for climate change
Report notes that several projects have failed and captured carbon dioxide is often used to recover more oil
The RSC’s climate challenge
The Royal Society of Chemistry aims to use Cop26 as a springboard to a more sustainable future. Rachel Brazil reports
Soil is more than dirt
Global sustainability is impossible if we don’t look after our soil
Soil searching
Rachel Brazil talks to the scientists trying to understand – and improve – the health of the planet’s soil
Carbon-negative concrete blocks could be made using magnesium from seawater
Electrolyser route avoids need for calcination step
How a circular economy and nanotech save us from a clean energy bottleneck
A carbon-neutral future depends on smarter materials and circular thinking
Artificial leaf floating on the river Cam synthesised hydrogen and syngas
‘All-in-one’ photoelectrochemical devices generate sustainable fuels on water, reducing both cost and land use
Rocket-powered carbon dioxide conversion
Barton Blakeley is lowering the carbon footprint of silica and other materials
Redox flow batteries charge up with peptide-based electrolytes
Study shows how electrolytes could be degraded using acid and heat
Arlene Blum: ‘Our summit is reduced toxics’
The biophysical chemist on the link between climbing and reducing the use of toxic chemicals
Cultured meat flexes its muscles
Rebecca Trager examines an emerging industry that is growing ‘meat’ outside of animals using cell lines cultivated in bioreactors
Electrochemical ‘game-changer’ could make aniline production greener
Sustainable production of important feedstock for dyes, drugs and herbicides is scalable
Bottling summer lightning
Our features editor reflects on how nature’s sound and light show affects the atmosphere, and the long track to harness fusion
James Lovelock, a gentleman scientist
Philip Ball reflects on the legacy of the creator of the Gaia hypothesis, who has died aged 103
UK nuclear power plant at Sizewell site gets go-ahead after two years
Part of the net zero strategy, Sizewell C will generate 7% of the country’s electricity – but the decision has been met with criticism
European parliament labels nuclear and gas investments as ‘environmentally sustainable’ activities
Decision branded a disgrace by environmental groups
A material future for fusion?
Nuclear fusion has been a dream for decades. Kit Chapman finds out about the latest developments that could help it fulfil its promise
UK’s first ‘industrial scale’ carbon capture plant opens in Cheshire
40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide will be captured each year at Tata Chemicals Europe facility
Switching protocol doubles carbon capture capacity of supercapacitors
Approach shows promise as way to capture CO2 in a more energy efficient manner
Podcasts
Oxybenzone
This summer’s extreme weather prompts Katrina Krämer to investigate the history of sunblock and the ingredient blamed by some for bleaching coral reefs
Source: © Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images
