Review: Green Hour: Chemical Utopias – Elements of an Integrated Theory of Sustainability (Dr. Alexander KLose)

The presentation, which was the first Green Hour lecture of the ongoing winter semester, introduced initial reflections on sustainable chemistry and its role in societal change.

Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that the chemical industry, despite its profound influence on our everyday lives, often receives little attention in public debates on sustainability. Since we live in a “chemical society” – a society in which chemical production is deeply ingrained into – this industry must be fully integrated into such discussions.
In doing so, it is important to view chemical production within a broader context of industrial development and not only to improve its sustainability, but also to fundamentally question which products are actually necessary. How can we change industrial structures from the ground up? What insights does a closer examination of historical manufacturing branches, for example those in the GDR, provide?

The presentation thus raised important questions regarding the connection between sustainable development and the transformation of the chemical industry.