Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future

J. García Martínez

doi:10.1515/ci-2025-0436

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Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future

Published/Copyright: October 29, 2025

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From the journal Chemistry International Volume 47 Issue 4

The Nobel Symposium, “Chemistry for Sustainability: Fundamental Advances,” held in Stockholm from 19-22 May 2025, convened leading chemists worldwide to redefine the purpose and practice of chemistry. Hosted by the Stockholm University Center for Circular and Sustainable Systems (SUCCeSS), the symposium culminated in the launch of the Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future, emphasizing chemistry’s profound power as both a molecular science and a catalyst for human and planetary well-being.

The symposium provided an invaluable platform to showcase recent advancements in green chemistry and foster dialogue on the future of sustainable science. Over four days of intensive discussions, participants explored cutting-edge developments in catalysis, sustainable materials, green synthesis, and circular economy approaches. Beyond scientific breakthroughs, the symposium served as a forum for deep reflection on the discipline’s purpose, ethics, and societal impact. The central aim was to rethink and redefine chemistry’s role in addressing 21st-century challenges, including climate change, resource depletion, and social inequity.

A significant outcome of these discussions was the Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future. This declaration embodies a collective commitment from the global chemistry community to transform how chemistry is practiced and how it contributes to a sustainable, equitable future. Co-designed by symposium participants, although the first discussions started more than a year ago, it drew upon the diverse perspectives and expertise assembled in Stockholm. The declaration was formally launched at the Nobel Prize Museum on 23 May. Four of us were invited to speak on this occasion. In my remarks, I emphasized the enormous potential of chemistry and encouraged everyone to utilize this power in a responsible and creative manner. Chemistry gives us the unique ability to design sustainable solutions that address global challenges, enrich human lives, and foster a more interconnected and resilient world. I encouraged all attendees, as well as the wider scientific community, to embrace their curiosity and unleash their creativity, collaborating to boldly venture into the unknown. Together, we can shape a hopeful, innovative and discovery-filled future that will benefit generations to come. The Stockholm Declaration articulates a bold, urgent, and inspiring vision for chemistry, urging a move beyond incremental progress toward fundamental transformation. It calls for chemistry that minimizes harm, is circular by design, transparent in its data, equitable in its outcomes, and committed to long-term societal value. The declaration is available at www.stockholm-declaration.org, where it can be read and signed.

Engaging with Society and Advancing IUPAC Initiatives

Beyond technical and institutional recommendations, the Declaration calls on chemists to become better storytellers of science, to engage with society, listen more deeply, and welcome every voice. As I shared at the Nobel Prize Museum:

“At the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), we do not just standardize knowledge, we mobilize it. We do this by connecting people across borders, empowering the underrepresented, and ensuring that science is not only excellent but also accessible and inclusive. Because we cannot build the future with half the talent. We must embrace diversity—not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it makes science stronger. Evidence consistently shows that diverse teams produce more creative, effective, and impactful ideas, and that solutions that are culturally grounded, locally adapted, and globally connected are more resilient and better equipped to address real-world challenges. When every voice, background, and culture is welcome at the table, we unlock ideas that no algorithm could ever generate.”

The ongoing work of IUPAC’s Divisions and Committees, particularly the Committee on Chemical Research Applied to World Needs (CHEMRAWN) and the Interdivisional Committee on Green Chemistry for Sustainable Development (ICGCSD), is essential to advancing the goals outlined in this declaration. A recent and noteworthy initiative I highlighted is the IUPAC–Soong Prize for Sustainable Chemistry, awarded annually to recognize breakthrough discoveries or conceptual advances with sustainability at their core. The inaugural recipient of this distinction was Omar Yaghi, honored for his pioneering contributions to reticular chemistry and for creating new materials and new pathways to address climate and water challenges facing our planet. Also, the theme of the 2025 IUPAC General Assembly and World Chemistry Congress, “Chemistry for a Sustainable Future,” aligns perfectly with the vision of the Nobel Symposium. Indeed, IUPAC’s wide array of activities demonstrates our unwavering commitment to championing sustainable chemistry and advancing the solutions needed to build a better world.

I took this opportunity to comment on a crucial IUPAC initiative: the upcoming launch of the Guiding Principles for the Responsible Practice of Chemistry, to be presented at the IUPAC General Assembly and World Chemistry Congress in Kuala Lumpur this July. This project addresses a pressing need for a unified, high-level framework for the global chemistry community, as existing codes like The Hague Ethical Guidelines, the ACS-led Global Chemists Code of Ethics, and the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, while excellent, do not provide this comprehensive scope. This IUPAC project aims to create a concise, visually engaging, and widely adopted set of Principles rooted in ethics, transparency, sustainability, and equity. These principles articulate the values embedded in IUPAC’s Strategic Plan. The diverse task group has developed a poster, downloadable brochure, and a dedicated web platform to make these Principles accessible and adaptable worldwide, serving as foundational tools for educators, researchers, institutions, and policymakers. These Guiding Principles are designed to be inclusive, globally relevant, and subject to regular review, aiming to establish a clear, unified standard for responsible chemistry practice and inspire a shared sense of purpose. See https://iupac.org/responsible-chemistry/

Advancing Sustainable Chemistry Together

Over four intense and inspiring days in Stockholm, we explored the frontiers of our field across nine thematic sessions, covering areas from sustainable synthesis and materials design to CO₂ utilization, green toxicology, catalytic innovation, and the chemistry of the bio-refinery. Brilliant contributions from colleagues like Ben Feringa, Chao-Jun Li, Audrey Moores, Helen Sneddon, Buxing Han, Julie Zimmerman, and Desiree Plata showcased how chemistry can reshape entire industries.

What resonated most, however, was the shared realization that technology alone is insufficient. Chemistry must evolve not only to be more efficient but also more effective; not only to produce but to protect; not only to optimize but to connect. This transformation necessitates a fundamental shift in education. We cannot prepare students for tomorrow’s challenges with yesterday’s tools. Our curricula must integrate systems thinking, life-cycle analysis, and a deeper understanding of how every chemical reaction has real-world implications. IUPAC actively promotes systems thinking in sustainable chemistry, notably through projects like Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education (STICE), to help integrate it into chemistry education and foster understanding of chemistry’s connection to environmental and societal issues. IUPAC also supports collaboration across education, industry, and sustainability efforts to ensure chemistry plays a key role in creating sustainable solutions.

The urgency is stark: today, only 8.6 % of produced materials are reused. We continue to extract billions of tonnes of resources only to discard them, a testament to inertia, not innovation. This must change. Recognizing this critical challenge, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences hosted Reimagining Chemistry: Building a Circular World on 22 May 2025, a high-level event held at the famous Beijer Hall in Stockholm and streamed globally. Organized in collaboration with the Stockholm University Center for Circular and Sustainable Systems, the event brought together leading scientists, policymakers, and innovators to explore chemistry’s pivotal role in accelerating the shift to a circular economy. Through keynote talks and panel discussions, the program spotlighted groundbreaking solutions, emerging technologies, and cross-disciplinary approaches to closing material loops, minimizing waste, and rethinking how we use resources. This initiative reaffirmed chemistry’s essential contribution to addressing global sustainability challenges and building a more resilient, circular future.

The Declaration’s Call to Action is unequivocal: we must act boldly, together, and now. We must align policy with purpose, invest in open and transparent science, and design for inclusion and resilience from the outset. This is especially critical in a world where public trust in science is under pressure and misinformation spreads rapidly. As chemists, we must not retreat; we must engage, becoming not just better researchers but better communicators and collaborators.

With the launch of the Stockholm Declaration and the impending unveiling of the IUPAC Guiding Principles in Kuala Lumpur, we stand at the threshold of a new era for chemistry, one where our science is not only excellent but also ethical, inclusive, and transformative.

Published Online: 2025-10-29

Published in Print: 2025-10-01

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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