UNESCO Awards Fifth Round of Grants to Young Scientists for Green Chemistry Research as Part Of Global Grant Programme Together With IUPAC and Phosagro

The United Nations Educational,Scientificand Cultural Organization(UNESCO) has awarded leading young scientists from all over the world with Green Chemistry for Life grants under a joint programme with PhosAgro and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) at the 8th IUPAC International Conference on Green Chemistry.

Participants in the 5th annual awards ceremony included Prof. Pietro Tundo, UNESCO Chair on Green Chemistry, Chair of the IUPAC Committee on Green Chemistry for Sustainable Development, Ca' Foscari University of Venice; Christopher Brett, the president elect ofIUPAC; Prof. John Corish, Chair of International Scientific Jury for Green Chemistry, Trinity College, University of Dublin; Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO, Independent Director of PJSC PhosAgro; Prof. Supavan Tantayanon, Chairperson of the Organizational Committee of the 8thIUPAC International Conference on Green Chemistry; Nicole Moreau,Scientific Board of UNESCO's International Basic Sciences Programme; Siroj Loikov, PhosAgro Deputy CEO as well as other representatives of the world's scientific elite.

The decision to implement Green Chemistry for Life was taken on 29 March 2013 at UNESCO Headquarters (Paris, France), when PhosAgro initiated a fund to provide financial and academic support to promising chemists doing research in environmental protection, healthcare, food production, energy efficiency and sustainable use of natural resources.

The expert jury, which consists of 13 scientists from 11 countries, is responsible for reviewing applications. A winning project must meet several criteria, including academic novelty, global and local relevance, commitment to the green chemistry principles, sufficient qualifications of the researcher and their team, and the technical capacity of the research institute or laboratory to host the project.

A ceremony celebrating the results of the five years of the Green Chemistry for Life programme is scheduled to take place this November. The event will take place at UNESCOheadquarters in Paris, bringing together the leadership of PhosAgro, UNESCO and IUPAC, as well as the programme's grant recipients, members of the international scientific jury and experts. Since the launch of Green Chemistry for Life PhosAgro has provided financial prizes to 34 young scientists from 26 countries, including Australia,Argentina, Belgium,Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Italy, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Tunisia, Ukraine and Uruguay.

The overall number of applications reviewed by the jury since the programme's launch is well above 600. During the five years that Green Chemistry for Life has operated, PhosAgro has awarded grants worth some USD 2 million (including the phosphogypsum grant, established in 2016). This is the first ever project under the auspices of UNESCO and the UN to be funded by a Russian company.

In 2018 the following nine scientists were rewarded grants at the ceremony: Dr Elisa Souza Orth (Brazil), Dr Gift Mehlana (Zimbabwe), Dr Nadav Amdursky (Israel), Dr Muhammad Shahid (Pakistan), Dr Joaquín García-Álvarez (Spain), Dr Roya Sedghi (Iran), Dr Yasmin Adam Ali Aburigal (Sudan), Dr Suhair Ziad Abed Alhameed Sunoqrot (Jordan) and Dr Paltu Kumar Dhal (India).

The winners may use the grant funding to carry out further fundamental and applied research in order to prepare innovative, ready solutions in the areas of efficient useof natural and recycled resources. For example, Dr Suhair Ziad Abed Alhameed Sunoqrot's (Jordan) project is about green synthesis of multifunctional nanoparticles from plant polyphenols for anti-cancer drug delivery to affected tissues, while Dr Paltu Kumar Dhal (India) uses an indigenous microorganisms (IMO's)- based technology for bioremediation of phosphogypsum. Initially, his project was developed for India only, however, it can be implemented at phosphoric acid plants in any other country in the world.

EVENTS Decarbonization Policies in South East Europe – between climate change and war Webinar IENE: Energy Security in SE Europe and the East Mediterranean 27th Annual National Energy and Development Conference IENE Workshop: Prospects for the Implementation of CCUS Technologies  in Greece and SE Europe

ADVISORY SERVICES Green Bonds

PUBLICATIONS The Greek Energy Sector 2023 South East Europe Energy Outlook 2021/2022 Long-Term Gas Contracting Terms, definitions, pricing - Therory and practice More

COOPERATING ORGANISATIONS IEA Energy Institute Energy Community Eurelectric Eurogas Energy Management Institute BBSPA AERS ROEC BPIE