New Delhi: In these times of severe air pollution that is being visibly witnessed in Delhi and the National Capital Region, a very well-participated International Conference on Environment and Sustainability was organized by the Green Chemistry Network Centre, Hindu College.
The Two Days International Conference and Workshop on Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals was chaired by the Father of Green Chemistry, Prof John C. Warner President, Chief Technology Officer and Chairman of the Board of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, USA, who gave useful insights into what the concept is and how it has to be understood if we want truly sustainable solutions to several contemporary environmental and health issues. He further said that this is the year of 25 years of inception of the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry which are the core tenets of the area. Today as we celebrate the inception of the Twelve Principles, we see the phenomenal progress made by green chemistry, and find these principles reflected in the sustainable development goals set up by the United Nations-an apt place for this field to occupy in the annals of history.
Also present in the inauguration programme was Prof Balaram Pani, Dean of Colleges, University of Delhi who stated that green chemistry offers ample opportunities for researchers to protect the environment and achieve the goals of sustainability. Mr Alok Sharma, from the Centre for High Technology, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, emphasised that green chemistry is pivotal in offering numerous possibilities of research and collaborations with industries to come up with sustainable solutions. Prof S. K. Mehta, Vice Chancellor University of Ladakh was also present in the programme.
Principal of Hindu College, Prof. Anju Srivastava stated that green chemistry has seen phenomenal progress over the years and also said that the green chemistry network centre and Hindu College have been long-term associates in this journey towards a sustainable future. The international conference also featured insightful sessions on industry-related themes, including invention and possibilities, replacing single-use plastics, rare earth metal recovery from e-waste, wellness and personal care products and bio-based materials.
Distinguished faculty of Delhi University and Hindu College, researchers and students from across the country were present in the inaugural session. Many attendees joined the conference in the online mode as well.
