I  U  P  A  C






News & Notices

Organizations & People

Standing Committees

Divisions
..I
..II
..III
..IV
..V
..VI
..VII
..Shortcut Access

Projects

Reports

Publications

Symposia

AMP

Links of Interest

Search the Site

Home Page

 
 

Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry Division (III)

Subcommittee on Green Chemistry

> Link to
Subcommittee page

from Green Chemistry in Africa, July 2002

IUPAC and its Green Chemistry Initiative

The International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) serves to advance the worldwide aspects of the chemical sciences and to contribute to the application of chemistry in the service of Mankind. As a scientific, international, non-governmental and objective body, IUPAC addresses many global issues involving the chemical sciences.

It has come to be recognised in recent years, that the science of chemistry is central to addressing the problems faced by the environment. Through the utilisation of various sub- disciplines of chemistry and molecular sciences, there is an increasing appreciation that the emerging area of Green Chemistry is needed for the design and attainment of sustainable development. A central driving force in this increasing awareness is that Green Chemistry accomplishes both economic and environmental goals simultaneously through the use of sound, fundamental scientific principles. For these reasons, the International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has a central role to play in advancing and promoting the continuing emergence and impact of Green Chemistry.

For this aim IUPAC has established the Working Party on 'Synthetic Pathways and Processes on Green Chemistry'.

The term "Green Chemistry", as adopted by this IUPAC Working Party, is defined as:

"the invention, design and application of chemical products and processes to reduce or to eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances."

Through the vehicle of Green Chemistry, IUPAC is engaging the international community in issues of global importance to the environment and to industry, through education of young and established scientists, provision of technical tools, governmental engagement, communication to the public and scientific communities, and the pursuit of sustainable development. By virtue of its status as a leading and internationally representative scientific body, IUPAC is collaborating closely in furthering individual national efforts as well as those of multinational entities.

In this context, educational opportunities to train chemists in the scientific principles and technical methodologies of Green Chemistry are of course of primary importance.

To establish and carry out the Green Chemistry educational programs, there should be a partnership among government entities, industry, and academic institutions. This partnership should focus on the importance of development and dissemination of new science and technology that form the basis of Green Chemistry and on the related education and training.

These target audiences need curriculum materials to be developed and a suitable educational infrastructure in Green Chemistry to be made available to teachers, instructors and professors.

More recently the Sub-Committee on Green Chemistry within the Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry Division (III) was founded during the General Assembly in Brisbane, Australia in July 2001. The aim of the Subcommittee on Green Chemistry is to develop actions devoted to the cause of Green Chemistry for its wider benefit to the future of chemistry and society as a whole.

The Physical and Biophysical Chemistry Division of IUPAC has also been involved in the promotion of Green Chemistry.

IUPAC Committee on Teaching of Chemistry (CTC) is interested in developing curricula and initiatives on Green Chemistry.


Relevant IUPAC Events related to Green/Sustainable Chemistry

1. Foundation of the IUPAC Working Party on Synthetic Pathways and Processes in Green Chemistry, Seoul, Korea, August 1996.

2. International Conference on "Challenging Perspectives on Green Chemistry", Venice, Italy, September 1997 (sponsored by IUPAC).

3. IUPAC-UNESCO project on small-scale chemical experiments (1998 to now).

4. Meeting of the IUPAC Working Party on Synthetic Pathways and Processes in Green Chemistry, Venice, Italy, October 1998.

5. IUPAC ICOS 13 (Mini Symposium on Green Organic Synthesis), Warsaw, Poland, July 1-5 2000.

6. Special Topic Issue and Symposium-in-Print on Green Chemistry (Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry, 72, vol. 7, 2000), July 2000.

7. IUPAC co-sponsored International Conference on "Chemical Education and Sustainable Development", October 11-14, 2000 Moscow, Russia.

8. Institution of the Sub-committee on Green Chemistry within the Commission 111.2 of IUPAC Division III, December 2000.

9. IUPAC International Symposium on Green Chemistry, Delhi, India, January 10-13 2001.

10. IUPAC/ICSU Workshop on Electrochemistry and Interfacial Chemistry in Environmental Clean-Up and Green Chemical Processes, Coimbra, Portugal, April 6-7 2001.

11. IUPAC CHEMRAWN XIV, World Conference on Green Chemistry, Boulder, Colorado, June 9-13, 2001.

12. IUPAC 38th Congress (Environmental Chemistry and the Greening of Industry), Brisbane, Australia, July 1-6, 2001.

13. IUPAC Committee on Teaching of Chemistry; Satellite Conference, Brisbane, Australia, July 1, 2001.

14. Foundation of the IUPAC Interdivisional Subcommittee on Green Chemistry, Brisbane, Australia, July 2001.

15. IUPAC Workshop on Green Chemistry Education, Venice, September 12-14, 2001.

 


> Link to INCA - the Interuniversity Consortium - Chemistry for Environment <http://helios.unive.it/inca/>


Page last modified 24 September 2002.
Copyright ©1997-2002 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
Questions or comments about IUPAC, please contact, the Secretariat.
Questions regarding the website, please contact web manager.