The diverse group met at the sixth annual international EnergyThink conference at the University of Bologna on Wednesday. The conference, "Green Chemistry, a first step towards bioeconomy", was promoted by Eni, a leading oil producer, and the environmental organisation Legambiente. 

 

The conference focused on new technological frontiers and on finding solutions to social and environmental problems. The overall consensus of the conference was that Green Chemistry plays a fundamental role in the future of the environment and also will work to stimulate the economy. 

 

Green Chemistry is sustainable chemistry. The aim of the science is to use chemical research and engineering to design products and processes which minimise the generation and use of hazardous substances. Green Chemistry also aims to reduce energy waste by using renewable resources for the operation of industrial plants. The science functions as the keystone to convert obsolete technologies into newer, cleaner processes.

 

The EnergyThink conference focused on the importance of scientific research and collaboration in the field of Green Chemistry, which is one of the reasons why the conference was held at a university. The diverse presence at the conference underlined the importance of collaboration, with members from the science community, NGOs, and businesses collectively focusing on solutions for the future. 

 

Peter Bakker, the president of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), explained how collaboration will help to achieve a sustainable planet. He discussed the Action 2020 initiative, developed by WBCSD, which seeks to serve as a platform of action for businesses and countries. The initiative aims to achieve its Vision 2050 of a more sustainable planet and works on setting specific actions for businesses to achieve while monitoring and assessing progress in various countries.

 

All of the Green Chemistry organisations are working towards a "common vision" and they make up an "interconnected chain" that works together, said Giulia Gregori, a board member of BRIDGE who spoke at the event. Green Chemistry companies have even developed a Bioconsortium, which features bio-based industries working together with supporting organisations.

 

This type of cooperation between companies not only fuels the efforts to creating a more sustainable planet, but it also contributes greatly to the financial market.

 

"Green Chemistry represents one of key pillars of economy," said University of Bologna professor Fabio Fava. He explained that this topic is "important" for Europe and that it will help to create jobs as it is a "growing" field. 

 

Companies have now been joined by the European Union in a global initiative for sustainability. Between 2014 and 2020, the EU will commit one billion euros to Green Chemistry, while bio-based industries will contribute 2.8 billion euros.

 

The project is expected to add one million jobs in the EU. The project will also prove beneficial by working to reduce dependency on imports, grow farmers' incomes, revitalise industry in rural areas, and to create a new economical market. 

 

Green Chemistry is already proving to be beneficial to the economy and it can be "the absolute source of potential innovation," said Mr Bakker. However, "the cost of inaction will soon be higher than the cost of action," he warned. 

 

Many of the speakers at EnergyThink felt as though a large amount of the problems which inhibit work towards a sustainable environment are due to the lack of industry regulation.

 

"This country is weird, we always need sanctions or else we don't comply with the law," said Stefano Ciafani, the vice-president of Legambiente.

 

However Gregory Stephanopoulos, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, believes that there is a problem with government regulation in itself. "Government regulation is important and necessary to overlook, but it has no opportunity cost, and that needs to be corrected," he said. Overall, there are many important ways that Green Chemistry can help to create a more sustainable planet, but in order to do so, other companies which pollute the planet must be regulated. 

 

The importance of resolving all of the issues discussed at the conference was placed on the students in attendance by Mr Bakker. "We need your generation to come up with new ideas and solutions. You are the future," he said.

 

"When you look down at Earth from space, you see no borders," Mr Bakker stated. Science knows no borders and Green Chemistry works to transcend boundaries in order to develop a more sustainable planet.