IYC art exhibition at SusChem Amsterdam meeting

ICIS is looking forward to its collaboration as media partner with SusChem, the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry. Two editors will attend the upcoming SusChem annual stakeholder day event in Amsterdam on 17 May.

Participants at the meeting will have the opportunity to take an exclusive preview of an international art exhibition. During the lunch interval the exhibition “Our Children on Water” will take place. Created by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) as a contribution to the International Year of Chemistry (IYC) this unique international art exhibition consists of artwork created by children from three African and six European countries depicting the role that water plays in their lives.

The three African countries involved are South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia and the photo above (Copyright Zoe Heaton) shows children from Abyot Public School in Ethiopia getting involved. The artwork has been produced under the title 'Water: Refreshment or Responsibility?' The resulting collection of artwork displays breathtaking imagination and shows children's views on water from many different, thought-provoking perspectives. The artwork in addition helps to draw attention to the role of chemists in industry and academia in providing safe and clean water around the world.

European tour
The exhibition will take place in Beurs Van Berlage in Amsterdam on 17 May. Following exhibition at the SusChem Amsterdam event "Children on Water" will tour major European cities including London, Frankfurt, Prague, Rome and Barcelona throughout 2011 in collaboration with a number of European and African chemical societies.

The official launch for the exhibition will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels in June. The "Our Children on Water" project is a high profile exhibition that serves to showcase the chemical community’s involvement in the pursuit of clean and safe water for everyone.

SusChem annual meeting approaches

Chemical and biotech industry innovators and regulators will be meeting in Amsterdam for the 7th annual SusChem stakeholder meeting on 17 May.  The agenda focuses on the role the industry can play in sustainable growth, in the context of the EU's 2020 strategy.

The industry will be making its case to establish a couple of European Innovation Partnerships

SusChem, the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry, involves trade bodies Cefic and EuropaBio and was set up in 2004 as part of the European Commission's initiative to spur innovation across industry sectors in the EU.

The technology platform has already produced:

• engagement with the wider stakeholder community in an open dialogue; 

• an integrated, shared vision of a more sustainable future EU chemical industry;

• a European Strategic Research Agenda for innovation in the prioritised chemical technologies;

• an Implementation Action Plan that provides recommendations for mobilisation of resources for collaborative R&D, on sustaining a strong European chemical science base and on improvements for EU innovation framework conditions.

Chemicals High Level Group stresses innovation

The European Commission's High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the European Chemicals Industry met last week to review progress after several years of industry/Commission meetings and reports. Innovation is still high on the agenda, as reported by Nigel Davis of ICIS in his latest analysis of the HLG process. 
The latest meeting also received coverage from fellow bloggers at SusChem, the joint Commission/industry platform for sustainable chemistry.
Georgio Squinzi (left), Cefic president, spoke at the meeting, noting that: "The High Level Group report provided us in 2009 with a strategic agenda and Cefic has drawn up a roadmap for implementation, involving its entire membership. A significant number of actions have already been taken on the recommendations falling within our responsibility.
The recommendations from the High Level Group were drawn up two years ago and whilst they remain valid, we need to step up a gear. Time is working against us!

SusChem head reveals aims

SusChem, the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry, continues to evolve as a force to stimulate innovation in chemicals and biotechnology in Europe. It was good to see its new chairman Paul-Joel Derian from French speciality chemical company Rhodia championing its efforts in an interview published by International Innovation.



Paul-Joel Derian now heads up
SusChem - Photo: Research Media

Derian, who succeeded Professor Rodney Townsend of the UK's Royal Society of Chemistry in the SusChem chair last year, outlined his ambitions for SusChem, a joint initiative of Cefic and EuropaBio with backing from European Commission.
Says Derian: "SusChem’s number one motivation is to trigger mindset change as well as demonstrate the value of chemistry through concrete projects. If we consider the need to speed up innovation in response to societal challenges such as global warming, water and energy consumption, then the chemical industry clearly stands out – not just as a big part of the sustainability challenge but definitely at its roots, since it provides key innovations for so many sectors."