Society depends on chemistry far more than we consciously realise, from medicines to energy to electronics. However, chemistry is viewed with as much apprehension as gratitude, because of the pollution and health problems that some chemicals cause.
There is a strong desire to have all the benefits of chemistry, but none of the downsides. This has led to terms like “chemical free product” coming into popular usage.
Of course it’s impossible to have a chemical free product – the ingredients in these products are still chemicals. But they employ a different approach, using benign ingredients from nature. These innovative products are examples of “green chemistry”.
Green chemistry takes a holistic – all encompassing – approach to the production of chemicals. This approach brings chemistry into balance with nature and avoids harm. Green chemistry protects the environment and considers the future by design.
Examples of green chemistry include using compounds derived from seaweed to replace man-made plastics. Another is capturing CO₂ from power plants and transforming it into more sustainable fuels for jets and ships. The principles of green chemistry are also being applied to developing smart materials that can change their properties, such as their colour.
Fresh approaches
Instead of merely making older approaches to chemistry a little bit “less bad”, green chemistry is about finding new functions for the materials we use in our daily lives and getting better levels of performance out of them.
This approach reflects the fact that using resources wastefully can be eliminated through smarter chemistry. This involves rethinking everything, including the supply chains.
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An example of finding new functions for existing chemicals includes the use of natural polymers derived from seaweed, called alginates, that are already used in cosmetics and foods, to also replace plastics in packaging so that packaging biodegrades in soil.
The Green Chemistry in America 2026 report published by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation surveyed 300 US executives and other leaders from the worlds of research and development and technology. Over 90% of those leaders who were familiar with green chemistry agreed that it
delivers a competitive advantage. Some 76% of these leaders said that green chemistry will fuel innovation and long term economic growth.
Waste as raw material
Countless tonnes of waste are often generated during manufacturing. This can be produced in far greater quantities than the product itself and can turn into pollution. Instead, green chemistry uses waste as a raw material, making chemical use more circular and sustainable.
Instead of changing our climate with gigatonnes of CO₂ emitted from smokestacks,
green chemistry is capturing CO₂ and transforming it into products like more
sustainable fuels for jets and ships. These synthetic fuels are created by combining green hydrogen (produced from water using renewable electricity) with the captured carbon dioxide.
Near-term investments are advancing the development of dynamic – and sustainable – materials that will change in ways that we want them to on command; such as their colour, or ability to conduct electricity.
These are but a few of the near-term visions of how green chemistry could foster a
revolution in innovation. However, these advances need to take place on a timeframe
and scale that can benefit humanity in the near future.
Some of the world’s top scientists met in Stockholm in May 2025 to wrestle with the question of how to make this possible. The result was The Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future.
This declaration contains two particularly important sentences that reflect its purpose. The first of these is that “the chemistry of sustainability recognises that sustainability without innovation is impossible and innovation without sustainability would be ruinous”. The second key sentence is: “While scientific discovery and invention is crucial, it is also not sufficient by itself.”
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The Stockholm document goes on to list all the sectors of society that are needed to implement its vision. These include business, investment, education, communication, policy and public support.
All consumers are affected by “bad” chemistry, so they should take decisions accordingly – demanding green chemistry in all products.
The resources available to improve the ways that chemicals are made include sunlight, wind, agricultural and food waste, geothermal energy and – most importantly – human ingenuity. There is an immense potential for innovation.
Paul T Anastas has equity in several carbon dioxide utilisation companies.
Andrew C Marr does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
