Committee on Environment and Sustainability

What We Do

The Committee enhances awareness and response to challenges to sustainability for the chemical community. Sustainability is seen as providing for the environmental and human health and economic and societal needs of today without compromising the progress and success of future generations. It addresses the major challenges of energy, food for a growing population, and clean water.

The Committee, as specifies under ACS’s charter, must also monitor current and emerging environmental problems, research environmental chemistry issues, and develop environmental position statements for ACS.

Vision

A sustainable world enabled through the sustainable practice and use of chemistry.

Mission

Advance sustainability thinking and practice across ACS and society for the benefit of earth and its people.

Goal 1: Engage researchers, industry decision makers, and other stakeholders to incorporate sustainability into the practice and use of chemistry. 

Goal 2: Equip ACS leaders and members, and other advocates to be influential voices about policies in sustainable chemistry via development and dissemination of appropriate tools for the relevant audiences. 

Goal 3: Engage networks of chemists and stakeholders to advance sustainability education and communication.

Duties

The Committee on Environment and Sustainability (CES) is charged by the Board of Directors and the Council of ACS with promoting the Society's as well as the public's awareness and active concern for protecting and improving the quality of human health and the environment.

To achieve this goal, the Committee is responsible for advising ACS governing bodies on pertinent environmental issues in science and public policy warranting action by the Society. Once identified, these issues then become the focus of Committee action, and the source of their projects. Responsibilities shall include:

  • Monitoring environmental legislation and regulations for possible ACS comments and/or recommendations, and when appropriate, writing and/or reviewing Society statements.
  • Keeping abreast of current and emerging environmental problems, focusing on possible areas of action by the Committee and/or the Society.
  • Researching environmental chemistry issues, compiling pertinent material, and disseminating the information to appropriate groups and individuals within and outside the Society.
  • Developing Society position statements, informational brochures, and appropriate publications (such as books and articles) on environmental issues in science and public policy using the technical expertise of Committee members.
  • Designing and coordinating programs related to environmental improvement for symposia and publications.
  • Promoting environmental chemistry education in secondary schools, colleges, and universities, and for the general public by developing science curricula, audio courses, etc., and distributing these materials to educators and other interested persons. 

Who We Are

The Committee enhances awareness and response to challenges to sustainability for the chemical community. Sustainability is seen as providing for the environmental and human health and economic and societal needs of today without compromising the progress and success of future generations. It addresses the major challenges of energy, food for a growing population, and clean water.

The Committee, as specifies under ACS’s charter, must also monitor current and emerging environmental problems, research environmental chemistry issues, and develop environmental position statements for ACS.

ACS Committee on Environment and Sustainability

Resources

Contact Us

Contact Will Hartwig, Staff Liaison, if you have questions or need more information about CES.