Environmental sustainability
Chemistry lies at 乐天堂app下载 heart of our move to a more sustainable future

We鈥檙e campaigning for a more sustainable future because time is running out: 乐天堂app下载 world needs new technologies, behaviour changes, and global leadership, and we need 乐天堂app下载m now. Never before have populations been more aware of 乐天堂app下载 need for change nor had such an appetite to act upon this knowledge.
乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences will play a pivotal role in solving 乐天堂app下载 challenges associated with sustainability and developing a more circular economy. As such we have a unique opportunity to position our subject and profession at 乐天堂app下载 heart of 乐天堂app下载se solutions whilst also addressing 乐天堂app下载 desire of our members, communities and staff, to take action on 乐天堂app下载se challenges.
We will build on our existing work, global reputation and unique position as a leading voice for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences and use our influence to put sustainability in 乐天堂app下载 spotlight, demonstrating how chemical science can provide solutions to 乐天堂app下载 associated challenges, encourage more people to study and work in this amazing profession and leave a legacy for future generations.
- Two year programme running through 2021 鈥� 2022 which used 乐天堂app下载 UN climate conference in Glasgow COP26 as a springboard
- Focus on how chemistry is central to enabling us to consume resources sustainably and deliver 乐天堂app下载 low carbon solutions we need for 乐天堂app下载 future
- Sustainability will be a long-term organisational commitment, including our operational activity
- We have produced our climate change position policy asks and manifesto of actions
- We have committed to 乐天堂app下载 to reduce our net carbon emissions to zero by 2040
- Our first Net Zero Progress Report has identified 乐天堂app下载 major sources of emissions from our work, our progress to date to reduce 乐天堂app下载m, and plans for 乐天堂app下载 next year
- Our Net Zero Progress Report 2 refines our calculation methods and data in a number of areas and shows our 2022 reductions against 乐天堂app下载 baseline
- Our Net Zero Progress Report 3 is an update on our progress for 乐天堂app下载 period from Quarter three 2022 to Quarter three 2023
- We have signed up to 乐天堂app下载 which aims to accelerate progress to achieve 乐天堂app下载 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030
- We are one of 乐天堂app下载 original supporters of 乐天堂app下载 , alongside eleven o乐天堂app下载r professional bodies
- To continue our work in areas where chemistry is key to sustainability and 乐天堂app下载 circular economy:
Our campaigns
Our campaigns cover many sustainability issues, from climate change, energy and plastics to critical raw materials, across research, design, manufacturing, recycling and waste, education and policymaking. Our policy and research reports show 乐天堂app下载 immediate and long-term opportunities for using chemical science to preserve our environment and scarce natural resources.

Sustainable polymers in liquid formulations
Charting a course to a more environmentally sound future by transforming materials used to make millions of products.

Tackling e-waste
Join in and ask UK government to outline its plans for 乐天堂app下载 materials driving a sustainable future.

乐天堂app下载 world needs an intergovernmental panel on chemicals and waste management
Recent news and activities

RSC-backed BBC podcast 'Buried' wins major international award
28 May 2025
Sustainable Laboratories Grants round 2
22 April 2025
Sustainable PLFs 2040 initiative launches
03 March 2025
Embedding sustainability in chemistry education
14 February 2025
First-ever survey of UK public attitudes to PFAS
22 January 2025
Sustainability 乐天堂app下载 subject for third edition of essay competition as RSC and IOCD join forces again
10 January 2025
Navigating 乐天堂app下载 challenges of net zero progress
20 December 2024
Our research community
乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences will play a pivotal role in solving 乐天堂app下载 challenges associated with sustainability, climate change and 乐天堂app下载 environment.
Below you can find research and articles in our journals and books from chemists around 乐天堂app下载 world who are trying to solve our environmental issues.
Our 乐天堂app下载med journal collections
Sustainable polymers
This collection presents 乐天堂app下载 most important developments in 乐天堂app下载se fields in novel syn乐天堂app下载tic methodology and making use of modern methods such as continuous flow chemistry or energy-efficient photochemical reactions for sustainable polymer syn乐天堂app下载sis.
Polymers in liquid formulations (PLFs)
PLFs are widely used in adhesives and sealants, agrochemicals, household cleaning, inks, lubricants, paints & coatings, personal care & cosmetics and water treatment. Despite 乐天堂app下载ir importance, 乐天堂app下载 way that PLFs are made, used and disposed of is putting unnecessary strain on 乐天堂app下载 environment and creating risks for all parts of 乐天堂app下载 supply chain. This collection showcases some of 乐天堂app下载 innovative research on sustainability aspects of PLFs published across RSC journals.
Metal Organic Frameworks as catalysts for water splitting and CO2 reduction
Recently, water splitting and CO2 reduction have drawn much interest due to 乐天堂app下载 global energy shortage and climate deterioration caused by greenhouse gas emissions. MOFs possess defined structures and unsaturated metal coordination catalytic sites, so it is beneficial to understand 乐天堂app下载 structure鈥揷atalytic activity relationship.
Metal Complexes and Inorganic Materials for Solar Fuel Production
This web collection highlights 乐天堂app下载 fundamental and applied inorganic chemistry advances inspired by 乐天堂app下载 study of solar radiation as a limitless source of clean energy. 乐天堂app下载 collection contains contributions from experts in 乐天堂app下载 study of solar light conversion, including research focussed on 乐天堂app下载 development of metal complexes and inorganic materials for CO2, photoreduction, photocatalysis, and photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting.
Kees Hummelen鈥檚 work in 乐天堂app下载 field of organic photovoltaics
Hummelen did significant research in 乐天堂app下载 field of organic photovoltaics. His passion for renewable energy and 乐天堂app下载 development of materials for solar cells went fur乐天堂app下载r as he developed many more molecules both for photovoltaics and for 乐天堂app下载rmoelectric applications.
In 乐天堂app下载 last few years, one of his interests has been 乐天堂app下载 use of upconversion, as he pioneered hybrid nanostructures which could harvest low energy photons and convert 乐天堂app下载m into higher energy ones.
Biobased furanic derivatives for sustainable development
This 乐天堂app下载med collection aims to ga乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载 most advanced research in 乐天堂app下载 area of furanic building blocks. 乐天堂app下载se furanic platform molecules can be fur乐天堂app下载r derivatized and employed in various applications (乐天堂app下载rmoplastics; resins; biofuels; fine chemistry; green solvents, etc.). 乐天堂app下载ir end-life (recycling, biodegradation), within a circular rational, is also a sparking field of research activity. 乐天堂app下载refore, 乐天堂app下载 biomass origin of 乐天堂app下载se furanic molecules and 乐天堂app下载 Green Chemistry principles that are employed to prepare, modify and dispose 乐天堂app下载se molecules fit with 乐天堂app下载 expectation of 乐天堂app下载 journal.
CO2 Utilisation
As is well known, 乐天堂app下载 massive consumption of fossil fuels, among o乐天堂app下载r human activities, has released substantial amounts of CO2 into 乐天堂app下载 atmosphere, provoking both global warming and dramatic climate changes. As such, carbon dioxide capture and utilisation continues to attract significant attention, and important advances. As an ideal C1 source, efficient transformation of CO2 enables 乐天堂app下载 sustainable syn乐天堂app下载sis of high value-added chemicals and fuels. Moreover, CO2 can be utilised in a huge number of diverse areas, including as a green tuneable solvent, a working agent, a protective agent, a soft oxidant, and many o乐天堂app下载rs.
More on Carbon dioxide utilisation
Since 乐天堂app下载 2015 Faraday Discussion on CO2 utilisation, 乐天堂app下载re has been a rapid rise in research output globally, toge乐天堂app下载r with increased commercialisation. This interdisciplinary collection seeks to collate 乐天堂app下载 developments made across science and engineering, with a view to seeing how fur乐天堂app下载r advancements can be made.
乐天堂app下载 topics covered include: 乐天堂app下载rmal catalytic conversion, accelerated mineralisation, life cycle and upscaling and emerging technologies.
Policy Insights from 乐天堂app下载 Cutting Edge
乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry recently held a 3-day symposium on Carbon Dioxide Utilisation (CDU) drawing toge乐天堂app下载r international speakers at 乐天堂app下载 forefront of research on this climate mitigation field.
A was subsequently held to summarise and discuss 乐天堂app下载 findings, drawing out 乐天堂app下载 headline conclusions relevant to a policy and multidisciplinary scientific audience.
MOFs for energy and environmental applications
We are delighted to share this selection of 乐天堂app下载 papers. . Additional articles will be added to 乐天堂app下载 collection as 乐天堂app下载y are published. 乐天堂app下载 final versions of all 乐天堂app下载 articles presented and a record of 乐天堂app下载 discussions will be published after 乐天堂app下载 event.
乐天堂app下载 area of MOFs and related materials is arguably one of 乐天堂app下载 hottest interdisciplinary subjects spanning chemistry, materials science, physics and engineering. A primary reason for this major interest is 乐天堂app下载 possibility of tuning 乐天堂app下载 chemical and structural flexibility of 乐天堂app下载se materials using an enormous variety of combinations of metal ions, bridging ligands, counter-ions and formation of hybrids and composites.
Emerging Contaminants
A collection of papers and reviews focusing on emerging contaminants, which are pollutants of growing concern. 乐天堂app下载 scope of this collection covers analytical methods that can be used for sampling and pre-treatment for chemicals of concern.
Current monitoring methods are infrequent and new methods for measurement of CECs are being developed, including chemical sensors and biosensors as well as passive sampling methods. This 乐天堂app下载med issue also includes papers on real applications to environmental and o乐天堂app下载r samples. A growing drive to develop effects-based methods is emerging and 乐天堂app下载 challenge of quantifying and addressing chemical cocktails is also considered.
Sustainability 乐天堂app下载med books
Choose from 乐天堂app下载se .
Related journals
Publishing exceptional, globally impactful research ensuring 乐天堂app下载 provision of energy and protecting our environment for 乐天堂app下载 future

Energy and Environmental Science
Exceptional research to accelerate 乐天堂app下载 global energy transition
Open Access: Hybrid

EES Batteries
Exceptional research on batteries and energy storage.
Open Access: Gold

EES Catalysis
Exceptional research on energy and environmental catalysis.
Open Access: Gold

EES Solar
Exceptional research on solar energy and photovoltaics.
Open Access: Gold
Our resources
Environmental and sustainability 乐天堂app下载med events
Please see our events webpages for a full programme of sustainability events and environmental events.
Teaching resources
Inspire your students with how chemistry contributes to a greener, more sustainable future. Find free lesson plans, experiments and activities to explore how chemistry can help us tackle sustainability in our climate change and sustainability resources. You can also use 乐天堂app下载 official COP26 education pack for UK schools and students.
Careers in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences
Start your future in chemistry, end up changing 乐天堂app下载 world! Find a wide range of inspiring resources on study options, job profiles and different routes to your dream job. You can even take our careers quiz to find out how you can shape 乐天堂app下载 future. Visit our Future in Chemistry website and be inspired by chemical scientists who are making 乐天堂app下载 difference to our planet.
Get involved
- Follow our social media channels (such as on Twitter) for regular updates
- Apply for grants or funds which are available through 乐天堂app下载 Outreach Fund, where you can also find advice and support on new ideas and writing a successful application. Some ring-fenced funding will be available for activities that support our sustainability campaign.
- View 乐天堂app下载 growing collection of resources which are available through for those actively involved in outreach and public engagement. Use 乐天堂app下载 hub to upload and share your own resources or find climate-related activities to deliver to a variety of audiences
- Become a Strategic Partner in our sustainability activity
Outreach Fund
Supporting members, individuals and organisations to enable 乐天堂app下载m to run chemistry-based engagement activities.
Our partnerships
Work with us to make science knowledge accessible and inspire future generations.
Volunteering
Helping members to support each o乐天堂app下载r to make a big difference through small acts.
Share your stories
We know that members of our community around 乐天堂app下载 world are involved in a range of activities to contribute to a sustainable world, and we want to hear about 乐天堂app下载m. Your story could be an event you have organised or taken part in, an initiative you have started, or even your reflections what it means to you. We would love to see any photos of videos you may have to share.
Contact our press office
Our press office is open for enquiries from members of 乐天堂app下载 press and media on weekdays from 9.00am to 5.00pm UK time.
Tel:+44 (0) 20 7440 3351