Environmental sustainability

• Two year programme running through 2021 – 2022 which used the UN climate conference in Glasgow COP26 as a springboard
• Focus on how chemistry is central to enabling us to consume resources sustainably and deliver the low carbon solutions we need for the future
• Sustainability will be a long-term organisational commitment, including our operational activity
• We have produced our climate change position policy asks and manifesto of actions
• We have committed to the UN Race to Zero to reduce our net carbon emissions to zero by 2040
  • Our first Net Zero Progress Report has identified the major sources of emissions from our work, our progress to date to reduce them, and plans for the next year 
  • Our Net Zero Progress Report 2 refines our calculation methods and data in a number of areas and shows our 2022 reductions against the baseline
  • Our Net Zero Progress Report 3 is an update on our progress for the period from Quarter three 2022 to Quarter three 2023
• We have signed up to the SDG Publishers Compact which aims to accelerate progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030
• We are one of the original supporters of the Professional Bodies Climate Action Charter, alongside eleven other professional bodies
• To continue our work in areas where chemistry is key to sustainability and the circular economy:
  • polymers in liquid formulation (PLFs)
  • progressive plastics
  • precious elements

Our themed journal collections

Sustainable polymers

This collection presents the most important developments in these fields in novel synthetic methodology and making use of modern methods such as continuous flow chemistry or energy-efficient photochemical reactions for sustainable polymer synthesis.

View the sustainable polymers collection

Polymers in liquid formulations (PLFs)

PLFs are widely used in adhesives and sealants, agrochemicals, household cleaning, inks, lubricants, paints & coatings, personal care & cosmetics and water treatment.  Despite their importance, the way that PLFs are made, used and disposed of is putting unnecessary strain on the environment and creating risks for all parts of the supply chain. This collection showcases some of the innovative research on sustainability aspects of PLFs published across RSC journals.

View the Polymers in liquid formulations (PLFs) collection

Metal Organic Frameworks as catalysts for water splitting and CO₂ reduction

Recently, water splitting and CO₂ reduction have drawn much interest due to the global energy shortage and climate deterioration caused by greenhouse gas emissions. MOFs possess defined structures and unsaturated metal coordination catalytic sites, so it is beneficial to understand the structure–catalytic activity relationship.

View the Metal Organic Frameworks as catalysts for water splitting and CO2 reduction collection

Metal Complexes and Inorganic Materials for Solar Fuel Production

This web collection highlights the fundamental and applied inorganic chemistry advances inspired by the study of solar radiation as a limitless source of clean energy. The collection contains contributions from experts in the study of solar light conversion, including research focussed on the development of metal complexes and inorganic materials for CO₂, photoreduction, photocatalysis, and photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. 

View the Metal Complexes and Inorganic Materials for Solar Fuel Production collection

Kees Hummelen’s work in the field of organic photovoltaics

Hummelen did significant research in the field of organic photovoltaics. His passion for renewable energy and the development of materials for solar cells went further as he developed many more molecules both for photovoltaics and for thermoelectric applications.

In the last few years, one of his interests has been the use of upconversion, as he pioneered hybrid nanostructures which could harvest low energy photons and convert them into higher energy ones.

View the special issue in honour of Kees Hummelen

Biobased furanic derivatives for sustainable development

This themed collection aims to gather the most advanced research in the area of furanic building blocks. These furanic platform molecules can be further derivatized and employed in various applications (thermoplastics; resins; biofuels; fine chemistry; green solvents, etc.). Their end-life (recycling, biodegradation), within a circular rational, is also a sparking field of research activity. Therefore, the biomass origin of these furanic molecules and the Green Chemistry principles that are employed to prepare, modify and dispose these molecules fit with the expectation of the journal.

View the Biobased furanic derivatives for sustainable development collection

CO2 Utilisation

As is well known, the massive consumption of fossil fuels, among other human activities, has released substantial amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, provoking both global warming and dramatic climate changes. As such, carbon dioxide capture and utilisation continues to attract significant attention, and important advances. As an ideal C1 source, efficient transformation of CO2 enables the sustainable synthesis of high value-added chemicals and fuels. Moreover, CO2 can be utilised in a huge number of diverse areas, including as a green tuneable solvent, a working agent, a protective agent, a soft oxidant, and many others.

View the CO2 Utilisation collection

More on Carbon dioxide utilisation

Since the 2015 Faraday Discussion on CO2 utilisation, there has been a rapid rise in research output globally, together with increased commercialisation. This interdisciplinary collection seeks to collate the developments made across science and engineering, with a view to seeing how further advancements can be made. 

The topics covered include: thermal catalytic conversion, accelerated mineralisation, life cycle and upscaling and emerging technologies.

View collection of papers associated with a Faraday Discussion on Carbon dioxide utilisation

Policy Insights from the Cutting Edge

The Royal Society of Chemistry recently held a 3-day symposium on Carbon Dioxide Utilisation (CDU) drawing together international speakers at the forefront of research on this climate mitigation field.

A panel event was subsequently held to summarise and discuss the findings, drawing out the headline conclusions relevant to a policy and multidisciplinary scientific audience.

MOFs for energy and environmental applications

We are delighted to share this selection of the papers. Find out more information about the event. Additional articles will be added to the collection as they are published. The final versions of all the articles presented and a record of the discussions will be published after the event.

The area of MOFs and related materials is arguably one of the hottest interdisciplinary subjects spanning chemistry, materials science, physics and engineering. A primary reason for this major interest is the possibility of tuning the chemical and structural flexibility of these materials using an enormous variety of combinations of metal ions, bridging ligands, counter-ions and formation of hybrids and composites.

View MOFs for energy and environmental applications collection

Emerging Contaminants

A collection of papers and reviews focusing on emerging contaminants, which are pollutants of growing concern. The scope of this collection covers analytical methods that can be used for sampling and pre-treatment for chemicals of concern.

Current monitoring methods are infrequent and new methods for measurement of CECs are being developed, including chemical sensors and biosensors as well as passive sampling methods. This themed issue also includes papers on real applications to environmental and other samples. A growing drive to develop effects-based methods is emerging and the challenge of quantifying and addressing chemical cocktails is also considered.

View Emerging Contaminants collection

Sustainability themed books

Choose from these sustainability themed book titles on our publishing website.