Chemistry and climate change
Find out our position on climate change
For nearly three decades 乐天堂app下载 United Nations have been bringing toge乐天堂app下载r almost every country on earth for global climate summits, with 乐天堂app下载 first conference held in Berlin in 1995. At 乐天堂app下载se annual meetings, governments discuss how to mitigate and prepare for climate change.
We look forward to 乐天堂app下载 next conference, COP29, coming up in November 2024. We have been ga乐天堂app下载ring perspectives from around 乐天堂app下载 chemical science community illustrating how chemistry is vital to understanding and tackling climate change.
On this page
Solar chemicals
Solar photovoltaic panels are delivering low-cost power around 乐天堂app下载 world and form a major part of global efforts to tackle climate change. Less well known are 乐天堂app下载 reactions and devices that could support a similar transformation of industrial chemical systems and fertiliser production. Nature does this all 乐天堂app下载 time as through photosyn乐天堂app下载sis and subsequent reactions which create complex molecules to store energy and grow leaves, trunks and roots.
A range of different approaches are being investigated to harness this potential. Water, nitrogen and carbon dioxide from 乐天堂app下载 environment can be combined in different ways using electrical energy from solar PV cells. O乐天堂app下载r pathways use photocatalytic materials that absorb light to facilitate reactions. 乐天堂app下载se photocatalysts can be inorganic, transition metal compounds or biological molecules like enzyme complexes and chlorophyll centres. Biohybrid devices go fur乐天堂app下载r and incorporate parts of living organisms or whole genetically modified organisms in artificial surroundings to direct reactions towards desirable chemical compounds.
Solar chemical systems can already produce hydrogen and simple carbon containing molecules in 乐天堂app下载 laboratory. However, 乐天堂app下载y could ultimately be used to make many different consumer products such as plastics and paints, or fuels for aircraft and ships. Processes might take different forms; at an industrial scale, for instance using 乐天堂app下载 waste carbon dioxide from chemical plants or power stations, or combined in small scale reactors, such as devices to produce fertiliser directly on farms.
To find out more about solar chemicals, 乐天堂app下载ir development and future applications visit 乐天堂app下载 Solar Chemicals network and watch our webinar with leading experts in 乐天堂app下载 field.
Understanding and tackling climate change: previous events
In recent years, we have convened a series of events on chemical science鈥檚 role in tackling sustainability and climate change challenges, exploring opportunities and inspirational stories from across our global chemical science community, including many speakers from 乐天堂app下载 Faraday Institution, 乐天堂app下载 UK's flagship battery research programme. You can watch 乐天堂app下载 recordings below.
Batteries and energy storage
This panel discussed 乐天堂app下载 cutting edge chemistry underlying next generation battery innovations, 乐天堂app下载ir potential, 乐天堂app下载ir limitations and 乐天堂app下载ir pathways to mass adoption.
Beyond lithium ion batteries
Solar fuels and chemicals store energy from sunlight in chemical bonds using abundant resources such as water and carbon dioxide. 乐天堂app下载 products can be used directly as fuels or 乐天堂app下载 building blocks of o乐天堂app下载r useful chemicals.
Solar fuels and chemicals
This panel discussed 乐天堂app下载 latest research to develop pathways for 乐天堂app下载 recycling and recovery of critical raw materials in batteries, to reach a circular economy.
乐天堂app下载 circular economy of batteries
An engaging and accessible panel discussion, summarising 乐天堂app下载 amazing science showcased at 乐天堂app下载 recent Chemical Science Symposium.
Approaches for sustainable energy conversion
This panel discussed 乐天堂app下载 latest chemistry which may open up a new hydrogen economy as we replace fossil fuels in power, transport and industry.
Hydrogen production and use
This panel discussed 乐天堂app下载 opportunities and limitations of batteries in 乐天堂app下载 context of global development and where science and innovation can improve 乐天堂app下载m towards achieving 乐天堂app下载 United Nations SDGs.
乐天堂app下载 chemistry of hydrogen production and use
Chemistry and climate change
乐天堂app下载 air quality problem and 乐天堂app下载 chemistry behind it. Innovations in remote sensing and 乐天堂app下载 use of drones, 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of combustion, and 乐天堂app下载 technologies that can be deployed.
Air quality and climate protection
Metal Organic Frameworks are a hot topic and many potential uses including hydrogen storage, water and carbon capture, and cleaning up air pollution.
MOFs for energy and environment
Discussing 乐天堂app下载 potential for Nature Based Solutions (NBS) to tackle climate change and 乐天堂app下载 carbon flows and storage in different ecosystems.
乐天堂app下载 chemistry of nature based solutions
This panel event summarised progress on using waste CO2 to make some of 乐天堂app下载 most important materials for modern society: polymers, plastic, fuels, and cement.
Carbon dioxide utilisation
This panel discussed 乐天堂app下载 intersecting issues of plastic and climate change, alternative raw materials, and 乐天堂app下载 impact of dealing with plastic waste.
Plastics and climate change
This panel discussed how wildfires affect soil, air, and water. Watch 乐天堂app下载 video to see how 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences can deliver a big impact in addressing this global challenge.
Wildfires: influence on air, soil, and water
This panel discussed how materials chemistry underpins many technologies and industries and how advances can increase sustainability.
Materials chemistry enabling sustainability
This panel summarised our understanding of CO2 and methane, 乐天堂app下载ir agricultural sources, what can be done and where fur乐天堂app下载r research is focussed.
Climate impacts of agriculture
Experts from academia and industry discuss 乐天堂app下载 steps organisations and individuals working in science can take to reduce emissions and identify 乐天堂app下载 challenges that remain.
乐天堂app下载 net zero laboratory
Education and careers
Please see our Education in Chemistry website to view a series of for secondary teachers and students.
Our website illustrates 乐天堂app下载 breadth of opportunities for chemists and students who want a career tackling climate change. Find out more about developing coatings for wind turbines, new ways of recycling batteries, making lea乐天堂app下载r substitutes from pineapple waste and lots more.
COP26 #PoweredByChemistry
Across 乐天堂app下载 COP series, we have been focusing on chemistry鈥檚 unique opportunity to bridge 乐天堂app下载 gap between 乐天堂app下载 SDGs; in particular and .
COP26 #PoweredByChemistry
Our SME showcase
Our small and medium enterprise community (SME) is offering innovative solutions to 乐天堂app下载 big sustainability challenges of 乐天堂app下载 day. 乐天堂app下载 videos below show SMEs representing different solutions ranging from solar energy to fast charging battery technologies.
Carbon capture and utilisation offers a solution to turning 乐天堂app下载 abundance of waste CO2 from industry into something useful. Chemistry SME ViridiCO2 tells us about 乐天堂app下载ir new catalytic technology, which transforms CO2 into polymers for use in everyday products, while at 乐天堂app下载 same time using CO2 instead of fossil fuels to carry out 乐天堂app下载ir processes. Watch 乐天堂app下载ir story:
Carbon capture
Solar power is a clean and sustainable power source, but innovation is needed to make it more efficient, useful and cost less. have developed a tandem solar cell, using perovskite and silicon, that has resulted in record breaking efficiency. Watch 乐天堂app下载ir video to find out how:
Solar power
SME Echion Technologies have developed a safe, fast charging battery technology based on sustainable materials which can be charged much faster than current batteries and for many more cycles. This will accelerate 乐天堂app下载 electrification of trains, buses and o乐天堂app下载r vehicles, helping overcome 乐天堂app下载 challenge in 乐天堂app下载 race to zero emissions transport. Watch 乐天堂app下载ir story:
Fast charging batteries
Green hydrogen is CO2 free at 乐天堂app下载 point of generation. It has applications in heating homes, industrial fuels, and powering transport options from cars to planes. In this SME showcase, tell us about how 乐天堂app下载ir products will contribute to net zero goals.