A Milestone for Sustainable Chemistry

Prof. Walter Leitner Signs the Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future

Prof. Walter Leitner at the Nobel Symposium Chemistry for Sustainability: Fundamental Advances at the Stockholm University Center for Circular and Sustainable Systems. Photo © Stockholm University Center for Circular and Sustainable Systems

We are proud and very happy that our Director, Prof. Walter Leitner, has contributed to a pivotal moment for the global chemistry community: the launch of the Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future, which took place during the Nobel Symposium on Chemistry for Sustainability: Fundamental Advances.

This landmark declaration reflects a shared international vision for a more sustainable future through chemistry. It emphasizes the need to design chemical products and processes that are safe, renewable, and resilient by design, integrating sustainability at the core of innovation.

For over two centuries, chemistry has brought tremendous advancements—but it has also contributed to unintended environmental and societal harm. The declaration calls for a paradigm shift, encouraging researchers, industries, and policymakers to collectively transition to a new model of chemistry—one that ensures materials are fully utilized, adaptable, and inherently safe across their entire lifecycle.

Prof. Leitner’s participation in shaping and endorsing this declaration underscores the Institute’s commitment to driving chemical research that aligns technological progress with planetary health.

The declaration is now open to the global community. We encourage researchers, educators, industry leaders, and policymakers to read and sign the declaration, and help turn this vision into tangible, impactful action.

Read and sign the Stockholm Declaration