Green and Sustainable Chemistry

United Nations 1 year ago

The information found within this e-course builds on UNEP's Green and Sustainable Chemistry Framework Manual. The e-course was developed by UNEP in collaboration with UNITAR, in consultation with experts from industry, academia, government, international organizations and NGO’s. The overall aim of the e-course is to unveil the full potential of chemistry such that it is compatible with, and supports, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It aims to teach learners “what” Green and Sustainable Chemistry is, “why” it is needed, “what” it aims to achieve and “how” stakeholders can achieve a transformation towards its underlying vision. The course is targeted at national chemicals officials and education institutions but does not require specialised chemical knowledge and is intended to be of interest to a broad range of sectors and stakeholders along the chemical value chain from chemicals design, production and use to final disposal. After taking the course, participants will be able to: Understand what Green and Sustainable Chemistry is. Describe the 10 Objectives and Guiding Considerations for Green and Sustainable Chemistry. Understand the roles different stakeholders can play to advance Green and Sustainable Chemistry. Discuss how educators can advance Green and Sustainable Chemistry. Understand the links between chemistry and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and how the 10 Objectives can advance circularity. Explain the potential of Green and Sustainable Chemistry to drive sustainability in different sectors of the economy. Describe key policies, tools and instruments that can be used to foster an enabling environment for Green and Sustainable Chemistry. Understand the importance of metrics and reporting for monitoring and measuring impact.
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layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 2 hours ago



The sustainable construction agenda is moving from visible green features to the systems that determine real performance: planning rules, open data, lifecycle assessment and verifiable environmental outcomes. In England, the Office for Environmental Protection has welcomed proposed Environmental Development Plans, while warning that faster planning will not guarantee nature recovery without stronger evidence, monitoring and enforceable results.

For developers, biodiversity gain, green infrastructure and environmental sustainability in construction can no longer sit at the edge of compliance. New permissions will be judged on measurable habitat improvement, not administrative speed.

Digital delivery is becoming central to low carbon design, sustainable building design and net zero carbon buildings. Open data, interoperable workflows and human-led AI could help project teams compare embodied carbon in materials, assess the carbon footprint of construction, improve sustainable material specification and model building lifecycle performance.

Whole life carbon, whole life carbon assessment and life cycle cost are increasingly critical to procurement, as clients demand clearer evidence on low embodied carbon materials, energy-efficient buildings, resource efficiency in construction and end-of-life reuse in construction.

The direction of travel is towards net zero whole life carbon, circular economy in construction and sustainable building practices that make lower-impact decisions routine. Standards and tools such as environmental product declarations (EPDs), BREEAM and BREEAM v7 will matter more when linked to transparent data and accountable delivery. Technology may support carbon footprint reduction and circular construction strategies, but it cannot replace sound briefs, shared supply-chain information or robust sustainable design judgement.

The industry’s test is now practical: prove that buildings and infrastructure reduce the environmental impact of construction through credible data, low carbon construction materials and ecological results.

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