In the future, the best chemistry practices will be green

Gathering for a summit on green chemicals, industry leaders and academics discussed how to solve the problems that threaten to stall 20 years of good intentions

Chemistry is having "an innovation crisis", according to John Warner, co-author of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. "We need to ask if the way we're training future scientists is fitting the need of society."

The push for green chemistry began over two decades ago, and Warner has been part of the movement the whole time. On Wednesday, he presented one of two keynote speeches at a Guardian conference on green chemistry.