27 Change Agents: One COP 26

News | Posted on Monday 15 November 2021

Twenty seven students from the MSc in Green Chemistry and Sustainable Industrial Technology course met virtually this month to reflect on COP26

Staff and students from the MSc in Green Chemistry and Sustainable Industrial Technology
Staff and students from the MSc course in Green Chemistry

The meeting was led by Course Director Professor Avtar Matharu, who invited 27 agents of change to share their views on why they are studying green chemistry, what COP26 means to them and what one single thing are doing to combat climate change.

Megan Elliott, Course Representative, said: “It was really exciting to hear stories from my peers from a global perspective.  There is an urgent need to change our ways for a better future for all.”

Participants at the meeting spoke on themes of the importance of hope, listening to one another, respect, equality, diversity and inclusivity, the importance of making small changes to our daily lives and in particular, and the need to work collectively and internationally in order to solve the environmental issues we face.

Prof Matharu said: "It was very important to us as practitioners of green and sustainable chemistry, to reflect on COP26. I enjoyed listening to the views of our students who are passionate about protecting the planet and its inhabitants. We were able to gain a truly international perspective."

View the recording of the full meeting.

The MSc Green Chemistry and Sustainable Industrial Technology was the first course of its kind to be accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Every year it attracts talented students from around the world with a passion for green and sustainable chemistry.