Chemistry as the key to sustainability

GDCh presents "Sustainability Strategy 2030"

25-Apr-2025 - The global sustainability goals can only be achieved with significant support from the chemical industry. Whether energy production, the circular economy or the reduction of greenhouse gases - chemistry provides essential solutions. The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is implementing a ...

How to Defossilise the Chemical Industry?

New report presents policy proposals for a Renewable Carbon Future

17-Apr-2025 - The European chemical industry, a cornerstone of manufacturing with significant economic impact and a key enabler for many other industries, is at a crossroads. The sector is facing an acute crisis due to global competition, rising energy costs and regulatory burdens. Once a leader in patents and ...

How can Europe boost its domestic battery production and what policy actions are needed?

Battery cell demand will highly increase by 2030

14-Mar-2025 - A new study by Fraunhofer ISI recently published in Nature Energy explores how domestic battery production in Europe can be expanded and how the European continent can become more independent from other parts of the world. The study derives policy recommendations from modelled scenarios how to ...

HiQ-LCA fosters industry collaboration to address data needs and drive compliance with new EU Battery Regulation

04-Feb-2025 - The HiQ-LCA project, funded by EIT RawMaterials and co-funded by the EU, supports the battery industry in complying with the EU Battery Regulation by offering various tools and services, including an advanced Life Cycle Assessment database to be developed as a satellite database of the renowned ...

Support for carbon pricing higher than expected

Study shows that a majority of Germans would be willing to accept carbon pricing in return for a direct climate premium

25-Nov-2024 - Viewed by many experts as one of the most effective tools of climate policy, carbon pricing seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Currently, however, only 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions are subject to this climate tax, as it is seen as unpopular. A study by LMU Munich, featuring a ...

Hazardous chemicals found in cosmetics

A pilot enforcement project by ECHA’s Enforcement Forum found that 6% of inspected cosmetic products contained hazardous substances banned under POPs and REACH regulations

01-Nov-2024 - The national enforcement authorities in 13 European Economic Area (EEA) countries checked nearly 4 500 cosmetic products, mainly looking at the ingredients list, for the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), long chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and related substances, and cyclic ...

How a carbon central bank can turn Europe into a CO2 “eater”

Carbon removal can become a game changer

19-Sep-2024 - The EU has decided to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. From then on, for every tonne of CO2 still emitted, one tonne would have to be taken out of the atmosphere. A European Carbon Central Bank could play a key role on the way there - and use market-based incentives to set the course for a ...

Germany’s hydrogen strategy: More consistent focus on green hydrogen needed

Now is the time to establish viable hydrogen supply chains

06-May-2024 - Germany aims to become a global leader in hydrogen technologies. In contrast to other countries, its hydrogen strategy places a strong focus on promoting “green hydrogen” based on renewable energies, supported by cooperation with partners in distant regions. While this approach is likely to ...

How to Enable the Transition From Fossil to Renewable Carbon in the Chemical and Material Sector?

In a comprehensive member survey, the Renewable Carbon Initiative collected ideas and opinions

15-Apr-2024 - The European chemicals and materials sector is under pressure. Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) members, representing a wide range of these sectors, see many common elements in the key challenges and how to address them. High energy and raw material prices, as well as the need to defossilise ...

Electrification or hydrogen?

Both have distinct roles in the European energy transition

20-Feb-2024 - A key step to achieving climate neutrality in the European Union is to rapidly shift from fossil fuels to electric technologies powered by renewable energies, a new study shows. At the same time, hydrogen produced from electricity will also be indispensable in hard-to-electrify sectors such as ...