Green Chemistry Blog

The 5th IUPAC International Conference on Green Chemistry will be taking place August 17–21 2014, in Durban, South Africa.

The main objective of the conference is to emphasize the importance of green chemistry for sustainable development, and to promote novel research and collaborations, by bringing together experts and interested parties from all over the world and from diverse bodies – from the academia to the industry and to governments.

The conference will be a multidisciplinary event considering all the major areas of green chemistry, including green synthesis processes, catalysis, environmentally benign solvents, energy storage, biofuels, green chemistry education, policies, and many other interesting topics. Interfaces with other sciences and other research areas will be actively encouraged. Special attention will also be given to the roles of green chemistry in fast-growing economies and to the promotion of green chemistry in the African continent.

Confirmed plenary speakers include:

• Peter Mahaffy, King’s University College, Canada
• Claudio Mota, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Bruno Pollet, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
• Pietro Tundo, Ca’Foscari University, Italy
• Tao Zhang, Institute of Chemical Physics, China

The conference will also feature a special keynote talk and medal presentation to our 2014 Green Chemistry Award winner, Professor Mike North from the University of York.

The conference is being supported by the RSC‘s Pan Africa Chemistry Network, which aims to help African countries to integrate into regional, national and internation scientific networks. The PACN has awarded a number of bursaries for African scientists to attend this conference. It is also sponsoring a number of plenary speakers.

The deadline for registration is June 30 2014.

For more information and to register, please visit the website: www.saci.co.za/greenchem2014

In their biannual meeting, the division “Sustainable Chemistry” within the German Chemical Society (GDCh) will discuss all topics related to sustainable and green chemistry, methodology, synthesis and processes. In the upcoming meeting autumn 2014, the scientific focus will lie on:

• Sustainable Synthesis Including Catalysis and Biotechnology
• Green solvents
• Renewable Feedstocks
• Sustainable Macromolecular Chemistry
• “Assessment and politics”, Green chemistry education

 The submission of both poster and oral contributions via the conference website is now open

 https://www.chemie.uni-erlangen.de/suschem2014/

 Invited lectures

• Shu Kobayashi, Tokyo, J
• Ulf Hanefeld, Delft, NL, “From sp2 to sp3 utilising enzymes”
• Konrad Hungerbühler, ETH Zürich, Ch, “Sustainability Indicators in Chemistry”
• Cor Koning, Eindhoven, NL, “New developments in sustainable and renewable coating materials”
• Bert Sels, Leuven, BE, “A lignocellulosic biorefinery concept in Leuven: a chemist’s view”
• Matthias Beller, Rostock, D,  “Chemistry goes Green: Technologies for the Development of a Sustainable Society “
• Michael Dreja, Henkel AG & Co KGaA, Düsseldorf, D, “Sustainable detergents – where are we on our way towards 2030?”
• Harald Gröger, Bielefeld, D, “Combination of the two “worlds” chemo- and biocatalysis towards one-pot processes in water”
• Burkhard König, Regensburg, D, “Chemical photocatalysis using visible light”
• Andreas Künkel, Biopolymers , BASF, D, “Symbiosis of Chemistry and Biology: BASF’s Biodegradable and Renewable Polymers”
• Uwe Lahl, Darmstadt, D, “Indirect Land Use Change ( iLUC)”
• Alexander Vyhnal, STAEDTLER Mars GmbH & Co. KG, D, “WOPEX – A sustainable materials innovation by STAEDTLER”

The 10th International Conference on Renewable Resources and Biorefineries is taking place on June 4-6, 2014 in Valladoid, Spain. A range of delegates from university, industry, governmental and non-governmental organizations and venture capital providers will present their views on industrial biotechnology, sustainable (green) chemistry and agricultural policy related to the use of renewable raw materials for non-food applications and energy supply.

The conference further aims to provide an overview of the scientific, technical, economic, environmental and social issues of renewable resources and biorefineries to give an impetus to the biobased economy and to present new developments in this area. The conference will provide a forum for leading political, corporate, academic and financial people to discuss recent developments and set up collaborations.

The three day international conference will consist of plenary lectures and oral presentations by international experts, a poster session and an exhibition. Companies and research organizations are also offered the opportunity to organize a satellite symposium. Around 400 international participants are expected from over 30 countries.

A great line-up of speakers has been confirmed, with the following as just a small selection:

• Prof. Richard Wool, University of Delaware, USA
• Prof. Karen Wilson, European Bioenergy Research Institute
• Prof. Eric Beckmann, University of Pittsburgh, USA
• Prof. Yusuf Christi, Massey University, New Zealand

There’s still time to sign up with pre-registration closing on June 1, 2014.

Visit the website for more information and to register: www.rrbconference.com/rrb-10-welcome