Chemistry : The Key to our Future

Chemistry has a central role in science, and synthesis has a central role in chemistry. The synthetic chemists should focus their efforts to merge it with other fields to produce more interdisciplinary science. Chemical synthesis has now reached an extraordinary level of sophistication, but there is vast room for improvement. The 3Rs (reduction, recycling and reuse) of resources are particularly important. Such 'green chemistry' is creative and brings about prosperity, and at the same time takes responsibility for society at large. Green chemistry must therefore be promoted and supported by the scientific community as well as by governments, industry, and all other sectors of society. Science is destined to be more closely involved with society in this century. It should be no surprise that 'Chemistry: the key to our future' is the slogan of the 2010 Chemistry Olympiad, to be held in Tokyo.