What the figures tell us

Chemistry plays an important role in securing sustainable living on Earth. It can offer a broad spectrum or remedies for the key environmental challenges facing energy, food, and water supplies as well as transport.

Energy
75% of the heat inside a building escapes through its exterior walls. Installing efficient insulation and cladding materials can cut energy costs by as much as 60%, thanks to innovative chemistry. (Cefic)

Food
Agriculture and deforestation are the second and third heaviest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions after energy production. (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) Fertilizer prices have increased 150 percent in recent years. (World Bank)

Water
Only about 1% of all water found on this planet is easily accessible for human use. 1.1 billion of the world's population are short of water and 2.6 billion don’t have adequate sanitation services; most of these people live in the poorest countries. (WWF)

Transport
Transport accounts for more than 20% of global CO2 emissions. Chemistry can help by providing lighter and more solid plastics, to reduce the weight of vehicles. Cleaner diesel technologies, more impermeable tyres and lithium ion batteries are all chemical solutions. (Cefic)