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Session 1: The future of the chemical industry in Germany

Hände halten Menschen und Bäume und Kraftwerke wie Spielfiguren
session1
Source: @UBA

How can the chemical industry stay competitive while operating within planetary boundaries?

Session 1: The future of the chemical industry in Germany and Europe – Strategic leadership and responsibility within global boundaries

How can the chemical industry stay competitive while operating within planetary boundaries? This session brings together leading voices from science, policy, and industry to explore a shared vision for a sustainable European chemical sector. From redefining success within planetary boundaries to securing global leadership and safeguarding jobs, join the discussion on how transformation can drive both environmental responsibility and economic resilience in a rapidly changing world.

Speaker:

Dr. Volker Strauß earned his PhD in Physical Chemistry at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He gained several years of experience in materials science at UCLA and at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, and completed his habilitation in Colloid Chemistry at the University of Potsdam. He now heads the division for "Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, and Substance Testing" at the German Environment Agency (UBA). In this capacity, he is also responsible for the cross-departmental project group "Chemiewende," which focuses on the transformation of the chemical industry in Europe.

Prof. Dr. Ricarda Winkelmann Founding Director, Managing Director, Director of the Department Integrative Earth System Science, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (MPI-GEA)

Alexander Bercht (Member of the Central Board of Executive Directors of the IGBCE) studied economics and has worked in various positions for the Board of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, in the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany and the State Parliament of North Rine-Westphalia. Since 2016, he has been working at the IGBCE, where he initially led the Political Liason Office and subsequently headed the Policy Department before taking on the role of Board secretary to the chairman in 2021. Alexander Bercht became a member of IGBCE’s Central Board of Executive Directors in 2023 and is responsible for the Departments Economic and Corporate Policy, Young Generation and Apprenticeships, Education, as well as Corporate Finance, IT and Services.

Marco Mensink Director General, CEFIC

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Short link: https://www.uba.de/n308791en