Advancing Chemistry through Global Cooperation
During the IUPAC General Assembly in The Hague, in August 2023, IUPAC took a step forward in fostering international cooperation among chemical societies by launching the inaugural Presidents’ Forum. This initiative aims to bring together the leaders of chemical societies and federations from around the world to collectively address key issues in chemistry, with the goal of fostering mutual cooperation and increasing the global impact of chemistry for the betterment of humankind and the planet.
Read more about the background of this program and the Forum first meeting in CI: Javier García-Martínez, “The Presidents’ Forum: Advancing Chemistry through Global Cooperation” Chemistry International, vol. 46, no. 2, 2024, pp. 41-43. https://doi.org/10.1515/ci-2024-0226
Basic Chemical Research — a case to expand support and funding
Humanity faces six global challenges known technologies cannot meet: 1. Atmospheric changes, 2. Sustainable energy, 3. Dwindling raw materials, 4. Water scarcity and safety, 5. Food for everybody, 6. Health problems. Because science is unpredictable and information grows exponentially, these global challenges will likely be met by future technologies. Since these challenges are primarily chemical problems, it is our responsibility and opportunity, as chemists, to solve them by using novel technologies, which will come through basic research. Basic research also fosters a culture of innovation, curiosity, and critical thinking within society, nurturing a skilled workforce of scientists, researchers, and innovators, boosting a country’s scientific capabilities and intellectual capital, leading to long-term societal benefits, and promoting international collaboration.
In a follow-up virtual meeting in September 2024, the group unanimously agreed that basic research, driven by hypotheses and curiosity, is essential for meeting today’s global challenges. The group also decided that a collaborative environment across all science disciplines and all countries is critical for basic research. Often, the most significant breakthroughs occur in collaborative spaces, making the case for shared knowledge and collective effort. Accordingly, a proclamation to expand funding for basic chemical research has been released.
The proclamation is featured in an Opinion piece, titled “Nurturing ‘wild horses’ in science is a universal goal” by Ehud Keinan, published in C&EN February 14, 2025 (A version of this story appeared Volume 103, Issue 4). Keinan comments: “Nurturing basic research is critical for our communities, societies, and economies, and all governments should recognize exploratory research as a high national priority. As researchers and educators, chemists worldwide should embrace the challenge and goal of fostering the next generation of wild horses”.
For further information, contact Prof. Ehud Keinan, President, IUPAC, at <ekeinan@iupac.org>