Enhancing sustainable chemistry: Preparatory study for a scenario process

Sustainable chemistry can make a critical contribution towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) is a new organisation that brings together diverse stakeholders from the chemicals sector, with the aim of promoting sustainability efforts within the industry. Among other things, the ISC3 wants to develop scenarios on the future of chemistry in order to determine how these can be achieved or even prevented.

To prepare for this scenario process, ISC3 commissioned adelphi and IFOK to conduct a study and organise four regional workshops. The study focuses on three key questions:

1. Which stakeholders are particularly relevant for sustainable chemistry?
2. Which fields and drivers of innovation can be identified?
3. What specific opportunities and challenges exist in the various regions of the world?

In order to answer the last question in particular, adelphi and IFOK planned and moderated regional workshops in Bangkok, Frankfurt (Main), Nairobi and Panama City. Bringing together about 35 individuals from government, administrations, businesses, civil society and science in each city, the team discussed global megatrends and sector developments, highlighting regional and national peculiarities.

The results of the study and workshops were not only used to prepare for the later scenario process but also influenced the Global Chemicals Outlook II, which was developed by the United Nations Environment Programme and was published in early 2019.