Chemists urged to build a greener future by Stockholm declaration document
‘Father of green chemistry’ Paul Anastas among those spearheading call to action
The Stockholm Declaration on the Future of Chemistry that was recently unveiled implores chemists to build a just, sustainable and resilient world for current and future generations. It was drafted by chemists and engineers invited to speak at a Nobel Foundation symposium on sustainability.
Spearheaded by Paul Anastas, a chemist at Yale University and co-author of the 12 principles of green chemistry in 1998, the declaration contains five central themes. These are taking immediate action, ensuring chemical products and processes do no harm to people or the planet, training the next generation of chemists to prioritise sustainability and health, ensure open access to chemical data and information, and align government policies on chemistry with sustainability and public health.