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Reports from recent conferences and symposia See also www.iupac.org/ www.iupac.org/events
The World Chemistry Leaders meet the century-old IUPAC by Christopher Ober The 2019 World Chemistry Leadership Meeting (WCLM) was a special and rare opportunity to bring together leaders of industry to IUPAC’s 50th General Assembly during its 100th anniversary and the 150th anniversary of the periodic table. This meeting enabled leaders of chemical industry to provide their view The WCLM featured a discussion with several CEOs. From left: Andrey Grigoryevich of the future of the chemiGuryev (PhosAgro), Ilham Kadri (Solvay), Paul de Brem (scientist journalist/moderator), cal industry in the context Martin Brudermüller (BASF SE), and Thierry Le Hénaff (Arkema). of challenges facing society and the UN sustainable development goals. IUPAC was of the founding companies of IUPAC so it was approfounded in part because of the strong interest by the priate to hear from them and other chemical compachemical industry of 100 years ago in having a common nies on the occasion of IUPAC’s centenary. language of chemistry to facilitate trade between counThe meeting was introduced by Christopher Ober tries. That effort to develop this important language and Frances Separovic who asked our panelists to dishas largely succeeded and today IUPAC, while continucuss the chemical industry in the context of the United ing that original mission in the cyber connected world, Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The is a societal educator and provides an important forum SDGs were adopted by world leaders in September for open discussions of the role of chemistry in society. 2015 at an historic United Nations summit and were Our panelists included the following CEO’s: Martin the subject of a prior WCLM held in Busan, South KoBrudermüller (BASF SE), Andrey Grigoryevich Gurrea in 2015. A report of that meeting is described in yev (PhosAgro), Ilham Kadri (Solvay), and Thierry Le a previous article published in Chemistry International Hénaff (Arkema). Solvay, it should be noted, was one [1]. At this prior meeting leading academics including a Nobel prize winner discussed the UNSDGs and Young Observers in attendance drafted project proposals aimed at sustainable chemistry. In Paris, the 2019 WCLM gave the GA and conference attendees a chance to hear from industry on this topic. Separovic briefly summarized the 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for the audience and the panelists.The SDGs represent a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. Briefly, these goals are: 1. End Poverty; 2. Zero Hunger; 3. Good Health & Well-Being; 4. Quality Education; 5. Gender Equality; 6. Clean Water & Sanitation; 7. Affordable & Clean Energy; 8. Decent Work & Economic Growth; 9. Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure; 10. Reduced Inequalities; 11. Sustainable Cities & Communities; 12. Responsible Consumption & Production; 13. Climate Action; 14. Life Below Water; 15. Life on Land; 16. Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions; 17. Partnerships for the Goals. Martin Brudermüller speaks about the future of chemistry.
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Chemistry International
July-September 2020
