Chemistry in France Facts, figures and perspectives from the Union cfes Industries Chimiques (UIC)

摘要

Trance, the birthplace modern chemistry, is one of the leading countries in this science. Today chemistry, the science of matter transformation, is facing worldwide one of its most important challenges, i.e. becoming more and more sustainable and introducing novel innovative green solutions. Chemical industry has suffered in the last decades under a particularly negative public image: people are afraid of chemistry and identify it with environmental damage and health threats. In doing this, the public forgets that chemistry is an integral and essential part of our modern life and our wealth. Today, one of the main challenges is to shift economy towards the use of renewable raw materials and sources of energy, employing more energy efficient processes and designing new products being safer for the consumers and having the lowest impact on the environment. On the other hand, sustainability to be successful has to go along with competitiveness: sustainable solutions must necessarily produce economical advantages and represent an investment rather than a sacrifice. Moreover, the recent financial crisis evidenced the most fragile sectors of economy and underlined the strong need for innovation. French chemical industry, along with chemical industry worldwide, is strongly committed to the achievement of this result and the Union des Industries Chimiques (UIC) as its representative organism is coordinating and driving this process. Also for this reason the French President of the Republic Ms. Nicholas Sarkozy included Chemistry among the strategic fields of action in France in his recent Etats Generaoux.