Bringing sustainable chemical production forward in central Europe The international team of academic and industrial partners, led by Dr Lukáš Rýček and Dr Eliška Matoušová from Charles University in Prague, focuses on the more sustainable production of key chemicals and pharmaceutical ingredients. Chemicals are essential in modern society. It is unimaginable to exist without them, as they shape everything from healthcare and medicine to materials, energy, and everyday products. Yet their production, use, and disposal often entail significant environmental costs. The chemical industry is a major source of CO2 emissions, with Central Europe alone generating around 20-21 million tonnes annually, mostly due to the sector’s high energy demand. Moreover, the chemical industry heavily relies on fossil resources as both energy inputs and feedstocks. (1)
Rýček et al. (2026) studied this question.