The Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change (ISCC) opened its much-anticipated public seminar series with a compelling talk by Professor Stephen Matlin on 17 January. The event, held at the University of Bath, marked the first in a series of high-profile discussions aimed at fostering dialogue around the ISCC’s three core themes: Sustainable Chemical Technologies, Sustainable Systems, and Social Transformation.
Professor Matlin is a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London and Vice-President for External Relations at the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development. A renowned thought leader developing systems approaches to sustainable chemistry, he delivered a thought-provoking presentation on material stewardship: chemistry’s mission in sustainability. Prof Matlin's talk underscored the urgent need for chemists to take responsibility for the life cycle of materials, integrating sustainability principles with scientific and industrial practices.
Matthew Davidson, who introduced the seminar, described Professor Matlin as "the perfect advocate for connecting the Institute’s three core themes". Professor Matlin’s work highlights the necessity of a holistic approach to sustainability, one that acknowledges the interconnectedness of environmental, economic and social factors, and acknowledges sustainability as an emergent property of a complex system.
Chemistry’s role in a sustainable future
During his talk, Professor Matlin explored the profound transformations in the chemical sciences, highlighting the rapid increase in newly synthesised substances and their impact on global systems. He referenced "The Great Acceleration", a concept describing the post-1950s surge in human activity that has significantly altered Earth’s ecosystems.
With over 177 million known chemical substances and more than 350,000 registered for commercial production in 2021, Professor Matlin argued that chemistry is at a crossroads. He emphasised the need for chemists to adopt material stewardship – responsibly sourcing, using, and recycling materials – to mitigate environmental damage and ensure long-term sustainability.
Systems thinking and resilience
A central theme of the talk was systems thinking, an approach that considers the broader consequences of chemical processes on planetary boundaries and human security. Professor Matlin’s discussion framed chemistry as central to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and helping meet other oncoming global challenges in an era of polycrisis.
He also addressed the concept of resilience from a chemistry perspective, emphasising how the field can help societies withstand and adapt to environmental and economic challenges. His talk posed critical questions: How do we secure essential materials in a world of finite resources? How can chemistry reduce vulnerability to supply chain disruptions? These questions of material stewardship, he argued, should be at the heart of research, education, policy and industry practices.
A seminar series to inspire change
The ISCC seminar series aims to bring together experts from various disciplines to explore sustainability challenges and solutions. By making these seminars open to the public, the Institute hopes to foster greater awareness and engagement with pressing global issues.
Following Professor Matlin’s talk, an engaging Q&A session saw participants discuss the role of education in embedding sustainability into chemistry curricula and the importance of international collaboration in tackling material scarcity.
With such a powerful opening to the series, future ISCC seminars promise to continue the momentum, challenging conventional perspectives and inspiring action. As the world faces mounting sustainability challenges, Professor Stephen Matlin’s message is clear: chemistry must take responsibility for its materials, embrace systems thinking, and lead the way toward a sustainable future.