Chemistry is everything. It’s everything we see, touch and feel. From our clothes and our devices to ourselves. From research labs to large manufacturing plants, chemical processes form the basis of our economic competitiveness and impact our nation’s productivity and provide countless consumer products.
Chemistry’s products have lengthened lifespan through medicines, cleaned and disinfected our water, allowed for greater food production, and powered communication, transportation and increased computation power. Yet for decades, the chemistry we rely on to produce all of these benefits has remained largely unchanged. Much of the chemistry relied upon today was invented a century ago and made in factories from the mid to late 20th century. Too often, these methods are out of date, inefficient, wasteful, dangerous, and do not represent the state of the science.
Green chemistry takes a different approach, innovating new chemical products and manufacturing processes that are higher performing, more effective, safer and more profitable by design. Drawing inspiration from nature, green chemistry aims to achieve new functions in our molecules and new performance in our materials all while increasing safety and reducing waste.
By rethinking our molecular and chemical reactions with a focus on high effectiveness and improved efficiency, green chemistry is proving to be a powerful economic driver that is also safer for people and the planet.
Green chemistry as an economic engine
Leaders in technology and research and development broadly agree that green chemistry is poised to play a central role in the next wave of American industrial innovation and business growth, according to new data from the Green chemistry in America 2026: Industry views on the opportunity for high-performance molecules and processes, conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The report is based on a national survey of 300 leaders in the United States.
These leaders increasingly see green chemistry as a driver of long-term economic growth, job creation, greater affordability and global competitiveness, and plan to invest more in green chemistry solutions accordingly.
A strategic business advantage
Beyond its economic promise, green chemistry is increasingly viewed as a strategic asset for companies competing for talent and customers, the survey revealed.
Three in five say a company’s commitment to green chemistry makes them more likely to want to work there. Highlighting both the opportunity for early movers and the risk of falling behind, nearly three in four say green chemistry is important to their company’s future competitiveness, yet only 30% believe their company is ahead of others in adopting it.
An additional survey of over 3,000 consumers and the results confirm green chemistry’s value in strengthening reputation.
Overcoming barriers through investment and research
Despite strong interest, adoption remains uneven. The leaders surveyed cite budgetary constraints, skill gaps and regulatory complexity as the biggest barriers to implementing green chemistry practices.
To overcome these barriers, sustained investment from the private, public and academic sectors in the field is critical. Three-quarters (75%) of leaders agree there should be more investment and funding to support research and innovation in green chemistry.
Even so, 71% of leaders say their companies are willing to invest more in green chemistry-led innovation and research in the next couple of years. Their top motivations: gaining competitive advantage over peers and driving new cost savings and efficiencies.
Funding research, infrastructure and workforce development have the potential to accelerate breakthroughs that lead to lower costs, reduced risk and broader green chemistry accessibility across industries and company sizes.
Green chemistry is a basis for innovation, efficiency and economic resilience. With strong public support and growing industry demand, it is key to unlocking the next American industrial boom.
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