PhosAgro, UNESCO and IUPAC Discuss Prospects for Further Cooperation at IUPAC 2025 World Chemistry Congress
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – PhosAgro, UNESCO and IUPAC have held discussions on the prospects for further cooperation.
A working group meeting took place as part of the 50th-anniversary IUPAC 2025 World Chemistry Congress, titled “Chemistry for a Sustainable Future”, which brought together more than 3,000 delegates from 95 countries. PhosAgro served as the Congress’s general partner.
Representatives of PhosAgro, UNESCO and IUPAC discussed the results of their long-standing collaboration, including an overview of the outcome of eight rounds of the Green Chemistry for Life grant programme, and they also discussed areas for further cooperation. According to UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences Lidia Brito, green chemistry is now one of the key tools for addressing global environmental challenges – from the development of clean energy to ensuring food and water security. In this context, partnerships between business, science and international organizations are of particularly high value and must be supported and developed. “UNESCO greatly values its partnership with PhosAgro and IUPAC. This cooperation clearly demonstrates how effective joint efforts can be in achieving shared goals. We believe that science should serve for the benefit of people and the planet. On the occasion of the World Chemistry Congress in Kuala Lumpur, we exchanged views on potential avenues to further this cooperation, including the possible continuation of the “Green Chemistry for Life” research grant programme and the conceptual development of new initiatives, such as Roving University (an international university for green technologies) and regional university networks focused on green chemistry. These ideas remain under consideration and are subject to further dialogue among the parties,” said Ms Brito.
Professor Christopher Brett, Vice Chairman of the international scientific jury for the Green Chemistry for Life grant programme and past President of IUPAC, noted that “the Green Chemistry for Life programme has proven its immense importance by becoming a driver for scientific research, publications in scientific journals and the careers of young scientists around the world.
“This field is so important that we must continue to develop it and to raise broader public awareness of green chemistry as a tool for life, sustainable development and the future,” emphasized Professor Brett.
Siroj Loikov, First Deputy CEO of PhosAgro, highlighted the results of the Green Chemistry for Life programme: “Next year, in 2026, we will mark the 15th anniversary of our collaboration with UNESCO and IUPAC in the framework of our key joint project, Green Chemistry for Life, which has become transformative for dozens of young scientists from every continent. Over the years, the programme has become a cornerstone of our support for science. It is shaping the technological toolkit of the future. From hundreds of scientific projects, the best are selected, those that enable the introduction of new technologies for sustainable and safe development. The prestige that the programme has earned in the scientific world can be seen in the growing number of grant applications that we receive each year. Over eight rounds, the jury has reviewed more than 1,000 scientific works. The programme’s geographic scope demonstrates its worldwide coverage: 55 young scientists from 33 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Latin America have already been awarded grants. I am confident that the Green Chemistry for Life programme will continue to serve as a successful example of how business and science can join forces for the well-being of future generations.”
Also during the World Chemistry Congress, a cooperation agreement was signed between PhosAgro and the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry. The partnership will be aimed at the international promotion of basic sciences, scientific and educational development and the introduction of digital educational technologies, with a focus on strengthening cooperation between young chemists from Russia, Malaysia and other regions of Asia.
Commenting on the signing, Russia’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Nail Latypov, noted: “Russia and Malaysia have demonstrated a close partnership in the fields of science and technology. Our countries have enjoyed long-standing and fruitful cooperation in many important socio-economic spheres, but it is especially important to emphasize our progress in scientific and educational development. PhosAgro actively supports young scientists not only in Russia but also abroad. This international partnership in green chemistry is a clear example of how the private sector can contribute to the development of global scientific potential. Thanks to PhosAgro’s support programmes, young specialists have an opportunity to implement their projects and make a meaningful contribution to the development of green chemistry around the world.”
Dr Soon Ting Kueh, Chairman of the IUPAC 2025 National Organizing Committee and President of the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry, said: “The world is now at a critical juncture: we are facing climate change, food security issues, diseases and many other challenges. Green chemistry is the right solution to a number of these problems. I believe that it is very important to provide young scientists with the opportunity to participate in PhosAgro’s grant programmes so that they can conduct research and contribute to sustainable human development on our planet.”
A working group meeting took place as part of the 50th-anniversary IUPAC 2025 World Chemistry Congress, titled “Chemistry for a Sustainable Future”, which brought together more than 3,000 delegates from 95 countries. PhosAgro served as the Congress’s general partner.
Representatives of PhosAgro, UNESCO and IUPAC discussed the results of their long-standing collaboration, including an overview of the outcome of eight rounds of the Green Chemistry for Life grant programme, and they also discussed areas for further cooperation. According to UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences Lidia Brito, green chemistry is now one of the key tools for addressing global environmental challenges – from the development of clean energy to ensuring food and water security. In this context, partnerships between business, science and international organizations are of particularly high value and must be supported and developed. “UNESCO greatly values its partnership with PhosAgro and IUPAC. This cooperation clearly demonstrates how effective joint efforts can be in achieving shared goals. We believe that science should serve for the benefit of people and the planet. On the occasion of the World Chemistry Congress in Kuala Lumpur, we exchanged views on potential avenues to further this cooperation, including the possible continuation of the “Green Chemistry for Life” research grant programme and the conceptual development of new initiatives, such as Roving University (an international university for green technologies) and regional university networks focused on green chemistry. These ideas remain under consideration and are subject to further dialogue among the parties,” said Ms Brito.
Professor Christopher Brett, Vice Chairman of the international scientific jury for the Green Chemistry for Life grant programme and past President of IUPAC, noted that “the Green Chemistry for Life programme has proven its immense importance by becoming a driver for scientific research, publications in scientific journals and the careers of young scientists around the world.
“This field is so important that we must continue to develop it and to raise broader public awareness of green chemistry as a tool for life, sustainable development and the future,” emphasized Professor Brett.
Siroj Loikov, First Deputy CEO of PhosAgro, highlighted the results of the Green Chemistry for Life programme: “Next year, in 2026, we will mark the 15th anniversary of our collaboration with UNESCO and IUPAC in the framework of our key joint project, Green Chemistry for Life, which has become transformative for dozens of young scientists from every continent. Over the years, the programme has become a cornerstone of our support for science. It is shaping the technological toolkit of the future. From hundreds of scientific projects, the best are selected, those that enable the introduction of new technologies for sustainable and safe development. The prestige that the programme has earned in the scientific world can be seen in the growing number of grant applications that we receive each year. Over eight rounds, the jury has reviewed more than 1,000 scientific works. The programme’s geographic scope demonstrates its worldwide coverage: 55 young scientists from 33 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Latin America have already been awarded grants. I am confident that the Green Chemistry for Life programme will continue to serve as a successful example of how business and science can join forces for the well-being of future generations.”
Also during the World Chemistry Congress, a cooperation agreement was signed between PhosAgro and the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry. The partnership will be aimed at the international promotion of basic sciences, scientific and educational development and the introduction of digital educational technologies, with a focus on strengthening cooperation between young chemists from Russia, Malaysia and other regions of Asia.
Commenting on the signing, Russia’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Nail Latypov, noted: “Russia and Malaysia have demonstrated a close partnership in the fields of science and technology. Our countries have enjoyed long-standing and fruitful cooperation in many important socio-economic spheres, but it is especially important to emphasize our progress in scientific and educational development. PhosAgro actively supports young scientists not only in Russia but also abroad. This international partnership in green chemistry is a clear example of how the private sector can contribute to the development of global scientific potential. Thanks to PhosAgro’s support programmes, young specialists have an opportunity to implement their projects and make a meaningful contribution to the development of green chemistry around the world.”
Dr Soon Ting Kueh, Chairman of the IUPAC 2025 National Organizing Committee and President of the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry, said: “The world is now at a critical juncture: we are facing climate change, food security issues, diseases and many other challenges. Green chemistry is the right solution to a number of these problems. I believe that it is very important to provide young scientists with the opportunity to participate in PhosAgro’s grant programmes so that they can conduct research and contribute to sustainable human development on our planet.”