Green shoots - Part 3: a sustainable chemistry curriculum for a sustainable planet
How to integrate sustainability and climate change into chemistry education.
Summary of contents
Integrating sustainability and climate change into chemistry education presents the findings of 九州影院 research conducted in 2024鈥�2025 with undergraduates, teachers and sector experts. It shows that while young people strongly value sustainability and climate change education and see chemistry as central to addressing these challenges, current chemistry curricula and assessments do not sufficiently emphasise or contextualise them.
Students often fail to recognise existing curriculum content as relevant to real鈥憌orld sustainability issues, and practical work rarely encourages consideration of environmental impacts. The report highlights the importance of embedding contemporary sustainability content throughout chemistry curricula, using local, national and global contexts to make learning meaningful, and adopting systems thinking to strengthen connections within chemistry and across disciplines.
The report makes eight recommendations for governments and exam boards, including updating curriculum content, integrating sustainability contexts into assessments, and embedding environmental evaluation into practical chemistry. It also advocates for greater use of microscale practicals to reduce waste and cost, alongside improved support and professional development for teachers. Together, these changes aim to equip young people with the skills, confidence and motivation to contribute to a greener economy and more sustainable future.