Global Priorities

Global Priorities identifies key areas where the chemical engineering profession can make an important contribution to society, industry and the planet. WCEC’s role is not to act directly in each of these fields, but to provide an international platform to connect expertise, promote dialogue, share perspectives and give visibility to the contribution of chemical engineering to global challenges.

Priority areas

Energy Transition & Industrial Decarbonisation

Chemical engineering contributes to cleaner energy systems, energy efficiency, new energy vectors, carbon management, and the transformation of industrial processes.

Water, Food, Health & Biotechnology

Chemical and biochemical engineering support access to clean water, safe food, nutrition, healthcare technologies, bioprocesses and improved quality of life.

Climate, Environment & Circular Economy

The profession helps reduce emissions, improve resource efficiency, design circular processes and promote more sustainable production systems.

Sustainable Materials & Responsible Resources

Chemical engineers contribute to the development of sustainable chemicals, advanced materials, recycling technologies and more responsible use of critical resources.

Process Safety & Responsible Industry

Chemical engineering is essential to safer processes, risk prevention, responsible manufacturing and public trust.

Digitalisation & Intelligent Manufacturing

Artificial intelligence, data science, modelling, automation and smart manufacturing are reshaping chemical and process engineering.

Education, Ethics & Future Talent

The future of the profession depends on education, lifelong learning, ethics, international cooperation and the development of new generations of chemical engineers.

WCEC contribution

WCEC provides a global forum for the chemical engineering community. Its contribution is to connect people and organisations, encourage dialogue among professional societies, academia and industry, and highlight the role of chemical engineering in addressing shared global priorities.

Connects expertise

Brings together federations, societies, academia, industry and other stakeholders.

Promotes dialogue

Uses congresses, declarations, initiatives and international cooperation to discuss emerging priorities and shared challenges.

Gives visibility

Highlights chemical engineering as a profession contributing to society, industry and sustainable development.

Related Initiatives

World Congress

A global forum to discuss the scientific, industrial and societal priorities of the profession.

WCEC Awards

Recognising excellence, leadership and impact in chemical and process engineering.

Declarations & Communiqués

Statements that give visibility of the contribution of chemical engineering to global challenges, including energy transition, digital transformation, industrial innovation, education and talent development, and the profession’s wider role in serving society, industry and the planet.

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