Mario Scalet - UNESCO Office in VeniceThe Regional Bureau of Science and Culture in Europe

( BRESCE )

GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY

Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia8 June 2012

UNESCO

for

GREEN CHEMISTRY

UNESCO perspective

“A reflection on humanism in the 21st century”Background document prepared for UNESCO-Nishan Forum, 16 April 2012

UNESCO seeks to catalyze an international reflection on how individuals, civil societies and governments can holistically address the challenges raised by the current diverse crises.

UNESCO perspective

One fundamental crisis: our difficulties to disseminate of a culture of peace and the principles of sustainable development

The culture of peace and sustainable development are two sides of the same coin, and humanism in the 21st is that coin.

The new humanism seeks to help people create their own future

Access to a quality education as well as the benefits of science and the capacity to participate in the social and cultural life of the community

Humanism today as a holistic strategy based on dialogue, solidarity and creativity

UNESCO & Green

From the message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of the World Environment Day (5 June 2012):

« We want a future where we can live in a healthy setting, with strong bonds to nature and a rich diversity of social relations. For this, we need a flourishing environment. We need to create green economies »

« We must construct green economies on the foundations of green societies. »

« Education for sustainable development must foster the values and behaviours for a new culture of sustainability. Science, technology and engineering must be mobilized to find innovative answers to complex questions. Culture must be integrated into all development initiatives. The media must help build awareness and inform policy. We must promote social inclusion through integrated policies. Sustainability will only come from working on all of these levels. UNESCO is acting at each of them. »

UNESCO & Green

From the message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of the World Environment Day (5 June 2012):

« In science, technology, innovation and engineering, UNESCO is encouraging green solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow.

The Organization is leading the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) to provide everyone with the tools and skills to make a difference.

We are working to strengthen the interface between science and policy, and actively backing the recently established Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES). »

«Green economies must include everyone. No society, no man or woman can be left behind. We must all protect the planet for the future we want. »

UNESCO Chairs & UNITWIN programme

Established in 1992

Academic community becomes affiliate with UNESCO to contribute directly to the implementation of UNESCO’s strategic objectives

Main objective: to advance research and training in institutions of higher education.

Over 600 UNESCO Chairs and 60 UNITWIN

Networks in 70 fields are established within the UNITWIN

Over 770 institutions in 126 countries involved.

Majority of the projects are interdisciplinary and intersectoral and involve all UNESCO programme sectors

Dual function of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks as “think tanks” and “bridge builders” between the academic world, civil society, local communities, research and policy-making

creating poles of excellence and innovation at the regional or subregional level

UNESCO Chairs & UNITWIN programme

Italy

Mediterranean Basin UNITWIN Network for Green Chemistry (MEGREC UNITWIN Network) – Coordinated by Ca’ Foscari Venice University - established in 2006.

Among the objectives of the MEGREC program are the creation of a university master course (second level) on green chemistry and the recruitment of young researchers who will conduct research in the laboratories of partner institutions

Angola

UNESCO Chair in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (2) - Agostinho Neto University, within the framework of the Santander Group - established in 1994

Objective To develop a centre of excellence for advanced research and postgraduate studies in the field of chemical and environmental engineering

Results MSc degree course in Environmental Engineering

Collaboration with Spain and Portugese Universities

Two research projects - evaluation of pollution levels in the country’s waters; analyse the Angolan flora’s diversity for medicinal uses - have been selected for their recognized public utility

UNESCO Chairs & UNITWIN programme

China

UNESCO/SHELL Chair in Coal Gasification (620) - Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, Sahanxi - established in 2003.

Objective To promote R&D for clean coal technologies in China and other developing countries by practical means rather than theoretical study, through environmental assessment of existing coal factories

Results 15 environment impact assessment projects from coal industry, metallurgy industry, building industry and municipal engineering have been completed

Training, Conferences, publications, …

France

UNESCO Chair in Applied Membrane Sciences for Environment (660) - Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier, Institut Européen des Membranes, Montpellier - established in 2004.

Objective To promote an integrated system of research, education, information, documentation on membrane applied to environment; facilitate collaboration between public and private high level centres

Results development of new membrane and procedure to prevent pollution; establishment of world network and new scheme of international collaboration among universities (300 partners)

Training, Conferences, publications,

UNESCO Chairs & UNITWIN programme

Germany

UNESCO Chair in Macromolecular Characterization (645) - University of Technology and German Institute for Polymers, Darmstadt - established in 2004.

Objective To promote expertise and conduct education training in the field of macromolecular characterization

To strengthen capacities and knowledge in higher Science Education, on national and international level

Results cooperation with research institutions of Southern Africa

- Curricula in the field of macromolecular characterization, for undergraduate, MS and PhD courses for students from developing countries

- network for polymer characterization between different universities

Training, Conferences, publications,

Uzbekistan

UNESCO Chair in Green Chemistry (627) - Uzbekistan National University - established in 2003.

Objectives: To promote an integrated system of research, training, information and documentation activities in the field of green chemistry.

To facilitate collaboration between high-level, internationally recognized researchers and teaching staff of the University and other institutions in Uzbekistan.

International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP)

An international multidisciplinary programme of UNESCO To reinforce intergovernmental cooperation and co-operation

between partner organizations in science to strengthen national capacities in the basic sciences and science education

To fostering major region-specific actions that involve a network of national, regional and international centres of excellence in the basic sciences

Promoting North-South and South-South co-operation is at the root of the strategy of the Programme

The International Scientific Board of IBSP set up by the Director-General of UNESCO, recommends projects to be carried out and supported by the IBSP world-wide

Opportunities for a limited number of new major IBSP initiatives are being explored through continuing dialogue and consultation with Member States and partner organizations within the basic sciences programme

Promoted by IUPAC, The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, and UNESCO. the IYC was launched by the United Nations

IYC made a strong educational contribution toward the goals of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, particularly in the key action areas of health and environment.

National and international activities carried out during the IYC emphasized the importance of chemistry in helping to sustain the natural resource base for life.

Global Partners IUPAC and UNESCO – Organizing Partners

• United Nations• Federations of Chemical Societies

FACS, FASC, FLAQ, EuCheMS • National Chemical Societies• Industry• NGOs• Educational and Research Institutions• Individuals

Objective:

Increase the public appreciation of chemistry in meeting world needs_Promote the role of chemistry in contributing to solutions to global challenges.

Increase interest of young people in chemistry_Build capacity by engaging young people with scientific disciplines, especially the scientific method of analysis developed by hypothesis, experiment, analysis and conclusions.

Generate enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistryEnhance international cooperation by serving as a focal point or information source for activities by national chemical societies, educational institutions, industry, governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Mme. Curie Nobel Prize and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Association of Chemical Societies

Cornerstone Events

Opening Ceremony under the aegis of the UN, UNESCO, and IUPACJan 27-28, 2011 – Paris, Francetheme - Chemistry and the UN Millennium Goals

IUPAC World Congress - "Chemistry Bridging Innovation among the Americas and the World" Jul 30 - Aug 7, 2011 – San Juan, Puerto Rico

Closing Event - under the patronage of the Chemical and Pharmaceutical IndustryDec 1, 2011 – Brussels, Belgium

 

Other Key Events

Pacifichem 2010 – Pre-inaugural reception publicizing the International Year for Pacific Rim participantsDec 15-20, 2010 –  Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Chemistry – the key to Africa’s futureCongress of the Federation of African Societies of Chemistry (FASC) Jan 16-21, 2011 – Johannesburg, South Africa

CHEMRAWN - Symposium on BiofuelsSep 2011 (date tba) – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The “Chemistry in South East Europe” Grant IYC 2011 Project “Chemistry for life”

UNESCO Venice Office, in collaboration with the Italian National Commission of UNESCO, supported the special grant for the best collaboration among young scientists of Italy and SEE countries

Dr. Özgür Birer, Koç University, Chemistry Department, Istanbul, Turkey and Dr Marco Masia, Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita' degli Studi di Sassari, Italy Research project: Aggregation-Induced Dissociation of HCl (H2O)4 Below 1 K: The Smallest Droplet of Acid

SEE-PhytoChem-Net

The “Southeast European Network on Phytochemistry and Chemistry of Natural Products for Green and Sustainable Growth” (SEE PhytoChemNet, http://seephyto.orgchm.bas.bg/) concentrates the competences of the countries in the region to collaborate in the area.

Established in 2011 with the encouragement of the Advisory Board of the International Basic Science Programme of UNESCO and the support of the UNESCO Venice Office

Project SIDERITIS (Sideritis, known as “Mountain tea”)

to collect the existing knowledge about widespread Sideritis species in SEE (Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Turkey) to elaborate unified standard protocols for harvesting, for extraction of plant material, for analysis of the biologically active constituents, for chemical profiling, and for evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the extracts; and apply them to collected samples shared and made available to the general public knowledge in order to utilize the plants to reinforce human health and to support the sustainable use of biodiversity

•Flavonoids

•Phenolic acids

•Phenylethanoid glycosides

•Essential oil

Compounds studied

Essential oil compositon vs. aroma substances:

90 components in essential oil identified by GC/FID/MS.

No. RT KIL KIE Components S. scardica1 10.58 939 946.7 -Pinene 0.05 - 1.262 12.91 980 968.0 -Pinene 0.02 - 16.173 16.32 1031 1003.7 Limonene 0.02 - 2.184 26.22 1139 1108.9 trans-Pinocarveol 0.02 - 2.935 41.00 1376 1392.7 -Copaene 0.67 - 3.136 41.32 1384 1402.7 Bourbonene 0.46 - 1.627 42.55 1418 1446.9 trans (E) -Caryophyllene 4.94 - 34.508 44.44 1480 1516.3 Germacrene D 0.55 - 17.239 45.15 1509 1544.8 Bisabolene 0.67 - 1.87

10 45.58 1524 1562.0 -Cadinene 1.83 - 6.6011 47.23 1581 1631.0 Caryophyllene oxide 1.41 - 16.6812 47.42 1590 1639.4 Viridiflorol 0.43 - 4.1013 48.92 1653 1692.0 -Cadinol 0.60 - 6.3414 55.47 1984 2031.9 Hexadecanoic acid 3.13 - 25.5615 67.46 2700 2766.8 Heptacosane 0.36 - 3.6916 70.30 2900 2949.9 Nonacosane 0.70 - 5.96

The main threats for medicinal plants are:

• Habitat loss

• Destructive harvesting techniques

• Overexploitation

There is a high risk of destroying the natural resources of economically valuable plants, if they are not managed properly according to the principles of sustainable long term use.

106 medicinal plant species are endangered and they are included in the national Red Data Book.

Cultivation Main source of mountain tea (S. scardica and S. raeseri) is collection from natural populations!!! No organized cultivation on large fields! The plants are cultivated only by individuals who produced smaller amounts for their own use or sale on open markets.

Cultivation of Sideritis raeseri

• To protect natural resourceTo protect natural resource

• To satisfy market demandsTo satisfy market demands

• To obtain rTo obtain raaw material with standardized qualityw material with standardized quality

Seedlings of S. raeseri Experimental field with S. raeseri

Unesco Venice Office activities

S&T Regional Networks

Mathematics and Physics (SEE-MTP-Net) Summer Balkan Institute Phytochemistry, Launching event – Workshop (Sofia, September)

Summer schools

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (August, BIH)

Mathematics and Physics (August 11, Serbia)

Economic aspects of Natural Disaster (September, Italy)

S&T Diaspora Workshop in Sarajevo (October)

R&D Statistics UN Project in Albania (next meeting in December)

Risk Preparedness Training for risk preparedness and management of Cultural Heritage, Project in Albania (training in November)

General Conference new bi-annual programme (Paris, October)

MAB Programme Biosphere reserve management

Fresh Water initiatives Project DIKTAS, groundwater shared systems

ROSTE (Regional Office for Science and Technology for Europe) moved to Venice in 1988

Agreement with the Italian National Research Council (CNR)

1995 - Agreement between Italy and UNESCO concerning ROSTE

2002 - Memorandum of Understanding between UNESCO and the Government of Italy concerning ROSTE

2006 – DG Decision: BRESCE, Regional Bureau of Science and Culture in Europe

A single UNESCO Office in Venice

UNESCO Scientific Co-operation Bureau for Europe was established in 1972 as a separate unit attached to the office of the Assistant Director General for Sciences of UNESCO in Paris

UVO Mission

Fosters cooperation, to contribute to capacity building and to provide specialized expertise

in science and culture with special emphasize to SEE and the Mediterranean

UNESCO Programme 2012 - 2013

Contacts

UNESCO Office in Venice www.unesco.org/venice

Science Staff

Cristina Faccia, Senior Assistant c.faccia@unesco.org

Davide Poletto, Sust Energy–Science education-Natural risks d.poletto@unesco.org

Rosanna Santesso, Science Policy-Communication-Gender r.santesso@unesco.org

Marie Prchalova, Environment (Biosphere Reserves_energy) m.prchalova@unesco.org

Philippe Pypaert, Environment (BRs_water management) p.pypaert@unesco.org

Mario Scalet (HoU), Basic Science&Policy- Cross-cutting actions m.scalet@unesco.org