Materials and digitalization are a future-oriented combination that is becoming increasingly important, especially for the chemical and materials industry. Artificial intelligence opens up new possibilities in research and development, production, logistics, and customer relationships. It can analyze vast amounts of data, identify correlations, and help make development and production processes more efficient. In doing so, the industry is increasingly combining its traditional strength – knowledge of molecules, materials and industrial processes – with the possibilities of the digital world.

And the next technological leap is already on the horizon: quantum computers could one day simulate complex chemical processes at the molecular level, opening up entirely new avenues in materials development.

Thinking Across Technologies

The real strength lies in the interplay. Materials and process knowledge on one side; AI, high-performance computing and, looking ahead, quantum computing on the other. When these competencies are connected, innovations can be accelerated and brought into industrial applications more quickly.

The chemical industry in particular offers great potential in this regard. The development of new materials is complex. Digital technologies can help identify potential solutions faster, better predict material properties, and shorten the path from research to application. What matters is not the technology alone, but its benefit to concrete industrial challenges.

This interplay also holds crucial opportunities at the macroeconomic level, especially for Europe. The continent has excellent science, a broad industrial base, and highly skilled workers. Yet global competition shows that it is no longer enough to be merely a technological leader. Europe must above all become faster at translating scientific breakthroughs into marketable industrial applications.

Increasing Efficiency and Resilience

This is about more than just efficiency gains. An innovative industrial base that combines digital and physical strengths can strengthen Europe's competitiveness and technological sovereignty. When materials are developed more intelligently and produced more efficiently, resources can be better utilized, more value can be created, and one-sided dependencies can be reduced. The combination of chemistry and digitalization can thus make an important contribution to the resilience of Europe as a business location. That's exactly what the Brussels conference is about.

The chemical and materials industry plays a special role in this. Its materials form the physical foundation for numerous green and digital transformations – from the energy transition to modern medical technology and data centers, to the buildings of the future.

The industrial future will therefore not be digital alone. What will be decisive is connecting the physical world of molecules with the digital world of data. That is precisely the great opportunity: to translate new technologies into industrial innovations faster and thus contribute to a competitive, resilient and sustainable economy.

Because even the digital future needs a physical foundation. And that includes innovative materials.

Right now, electric cars are in the spotlight. In 2025, more than 20 million of them were sold worldwide – one in four newly registered passenger cars now has a battery on board. And the technology is once again front and center on the annual World EV Day.

But there's one thing we shouldn't overlook: the mobility transition needs more than one answer. The requirements for a city bus, a passenger car, a long-haul truck, or an aircraft differ considerably – and may call for drive systems other than the electric motor.

More than one drive type

That's why, alongside batteries, hydrogen and synthetic fuels are also part of the mix. And increasingly, an energy source that was previously associated with niche applications is coming into view: the sun. This topic is examined in more detail in the latest Covestro web-talk.

Vehicle-integrated photovoltaics, or VIPV for short, turns the vehicle surface into part of the energy system. How large its contribution can be depends not only on the vehicle type but also on location and usage. According to the European SolarMoves report from 2025, VIPV could cover up to 50 percent of a passenger car's annual energy demand in Madrid, and up to 35 percent in Amsterdam.

This doesn't mean, of course, that every car will run exclusively on solar energy in the future. Rather, the key point is that solar power can already be relevant even if it only covers part of the energy supply. In combination with other drive types, it can provide additional range, reduce charging needs, or power auxiliary systems.

The body becomes a power plant

Commercial vehicles are particularly interesting here: large roof and body surfaces offer the potential to use solar energy directly during operation. For example, a solar system on a Ford E-Transit in Northern Europe covered around 12.5 percent of its total charging energy in a one-month test. The value of VIPV lies not only in potential CO₂ savings. Vehicles that generate part of their own energy can become more independent of charging infrastructure and take the strain off local power grids.

At the same time, limits remain: available surface area, solar irradiation, efficiency, and costs. And this is where the next challenge begins – how efficiently does a vehicle use the energy available to it? Weight, aerodynamics, thermal management, battery safety, and material selection all come into play here.

This is exactly where Covestro comes in – as a materials developer delivering solutions for precisely these requirements. For example, in the "Sonnenwagen," the solar car built by the student team of the same name from Aachen. At the World Solar Challenge, the solar racing car recently covered more than 3,000 kilometers through the Australian Outback powered exclusively by solar energy. Under these conditions, every gram and every watt-hour saved counts. And so does the question of which materials can meet several requirements at once.

A laboratory on wheels

This is exactly what the Sonnenwagen team and Covestro are working on together. The students bring their deep understanding of the vehicle and specific technical requirements, while Covestro contributes its materials and application expertise. Together, they discuss, test, and refine solutions – for lightweight construction, battery and thermal management, or the protection of sensitive components.

More than ten Covestro materials are used in the current model, the "Covestro Æthon." These include chemically recycled polyurethane foam from end-of-life car seats in the driver's seat and a coating that cures at room temperature, saving energy.

In this way, the solar car becomes a laboratory on wheels – for solutions that could later find their way onto our roads. And they show that the future of mobility hinges on the right materials.

The biggest driver of our ecological deficit is the fossil fuels we continue to extract from the ground in staggering quantities — oil, coal, gas. Burning them releases enormous amounts of CO₂ that forests and oceans simply can't absorb fast enough. Which is why switching to renewable energy sources matters more than ever.

The direction is right. The pace is not.

This shift is already well underway. In 2025, global renewable energy capacity was more than double what it was ten years earlier — and it's picking up speed, according to the latest report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Solar is the biggest driver, with capacity up more than tenfold since 2015. Wind power has tripled over the same period.

The result: roughly a third of the world's electricity now comes from renewable sources. And renewables have long since taken over when it comes to new capacity — according to IRENA, they accounted for more than 85 percent of all newly installed capacity in 2025. Perhaps most striking: the cost of solar power has dropped by around 90 percent over the past fifteen years, making it the cheapest way to generate electricity in many parts of the world.

And yet — it's not enough. Because electricity is only part of the picture. Heating, transportation, industry — the vast majority of global energy demand still runs on fossil fuels, which account for around 80 percent of it. Every day we stick with this energy mix deepens our ecological debt: more CO₂, more resource consumption.

Wind turbines and solar panels need to be built to last

One factor often goes unnoticed: it's not just about how many new installations go up or how cost-efficient they are. It's also about what they're made of. The materials have to withstand extreme conditions, perform reliably for decades — and be recoverable at the end of their life. Without that, the energy transition is only half a promise.

A wind turbine is no simple piece of equipment. Its components are exposed to storms, salt, heat and UV radiation. That demands coatings that hold up. The connection between an offshore wind farm and the mainland has to work reliably — even on the ocean floor.

Solar installations face their own challenges: heat, humidity and constant sun exposure. And in battery systems, one of the biggest hurdles is protecting cells from overheating. None of this would be possible without high-performance plastics.

Specialized coatings, for example, protect rotor blades from wear at the leading edge — one of the most common reasons turbines fail prematurely. Seals and damping materials keep connections tight and absorb vibration. Rugged housings and frames shield the technology inside. Unglamorous, perhaps — but without these solutions, the rise of renewables simply wouldn't be possible.

Materials matter

Keeping these materials in circulation reduces the need for fossil raw materials. That means designing the plastics used in wind and solar installations from the outset so that they can be efficiently recovered, processed and reused in equivalent applications without any loss of quality. Circular plastics reduce the demand for virgin raw materials — and make energy installations less dependent on finite resources.

Covestro develops exactly these kinds of materials: protective coatings for rotor blades, elastomers for underwater cables, framing materials for solar panels. The company is working to bring these plastics back into the loop at the end of their useful life.

Because renewable energy and circular material flows have to be thought of together. Both are needed to reduce resource consumption, curb CO₂ emissions — and push Earth Overshoot Day back where it belongs: later in the year.

The SDGs may face an uphill battle in times of war, confrontation, economic stagnation, and general uncertainty. Yet they remain both right and important. To give the "Agenda 2030" fresh momentum, the UN is placing particular emphasis on science. To this end, it launched the "International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development" initiative in 2024. Its core objectives are to show people the enormous benefits that research and innovation can deliver, to empower them to apply knowledge, and to restore the damaged trust in this sphere.

Two years after its launch, an initial stocktaking is now taking place – at a major conference in Paris attended by over 800 people from politics, science, civil society, and business. This collaborative approach is absolutely the right way forward, and the inclusion of industry is all the more so. For industry is the link between new findings, good ideas, ambitious plans, and their implementation. Turning knowledge into action requires the expertise and commitment of millions of companies around the globe.

The chemical industry offers a prime example of how this can succeed. On one hand, it is science-based and deeply rooted in the academic world –on the other, it is strongly application-oriented and experienced in scaling research successes from the laboratory through pilot and demonstration plants to large-scale industrial production.

From Lab to Market — Faster

However, technology transfer is progressing far too slowly in many places – in industrialized nations such as Germany, Japan, France and Italy, as well as in developing and emerging countries, particularly in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and South America. The reasons range from a weak start-up culture, lack of digitalization and inadequate patent protection to paralyzing bureaucracy. These framework conditions urgently need to change if the Science Decade is also to deliver concrete results that contribute to the SDGs.

The chemical industry, including the plastics sector, has enormous potential that can still be harnessed much more effectively. Many companies can and want to help achieve the sustainability goals. Covestro, for example, strongly aligns its strategy with sustainable solutions – meaning products that contain non-fossil raw materials or have a lower CO₂ footprint.

The range is diverse – from lightweight plastics to promote electromobility and insulation materials to increase the energy efficiency of buildings, to innovations for agriculture. Seed coatings, for example: these cause crop protection agents to adhere to the grain rather than dispersing into the air – which not only benefits the environment but also reduces harvest losses caused by pests and fungi.

Covestro primarily promotes innovations that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Overall, the company contributes to all 17 SDGs to varying degrees and in different areas – and not only through products, but also through technologies. In the production of the insulation component MDI, for instance, an innovative process (AdiP) is used that significantly reduces energy consumption and, with it, emissions: the CO₂ footprint per tonne of product is up to 35 percent lower.

Building Trust in Science

Industry as a hinge between research and application – in business and science alike, this is common practice. Yet innovation and progress stand on shaky ground. Not only because of the frequently inadequate framework conditions, but also because of the widespread public scepticism towards – and even rejection of – science, which is amplified by internet-driven disinformation, misinformation, and misleading propaganda.

If the world is to achieve a genuine boost in knowledge during the Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, then education and enlightenment are needed. Through facts, and above all through compelling examples of success: people must understand how science and business improve their lives – and what life would look like without them.

Through a home that thinks ahead, supports, and protects. One where the day begins before the alarm goes off. The temperature in the bathroom has already been optimally adjusted, the light in the bedroom is slowly being dimmed up, and the display in the kitchen shows energy consumption, the weather forecast, and upcoming appointments. While the coffee brews, a wearable discreetly measures pulse and sleep quality.

Smart Home – what still sounds slightly extravagant today is becoming the norm for more and more people around the globe. After all, the number of internet-based devices alone is set to double between 2024 and 2030 to around 40 billion.

A good, contemporary life for everyone – that is the central vision of the United Nations. An immense challenge, if only because the global population is steadily growing, as the World Population Day once again illustrates: from the current 8.3 billion to almost ten billion people by 2050. Yet the real dynamic behind these figures lies not in pure growth, but in the shift in purchasing power and lifestyle.

The affluent middle class continues to grow

Because more and more people, especially in the Global South, are making the leap into the middle class. By 2030, around 55 percent of the world's population could already belong to this group – almost two billion more people than at the beginning of this decade. People no longer just want to be provided for; they want to lead a modern life: connected, informed, comfortable, and sustainable. With corresponding expectations of their living environment.

But the apartment or home should not only be appealing, digital, and trendy – it should also help people stay active and independent for longer. Because the world is becoming not only wealthier on average, but also older: by 2050, one in six people could be at least 65 years old. This brings safety, health, activity, and self-sufficiency increasingly into focus.

Taken together, this creates a complex ecosystem: displays, sensors, and routers on one side; furniture, household appliances, wearables, and medical technology on the other – increasingly interwoven in everyday life. Yet alongside all the benefits, there are also challenges.

Because more comfort products and increasing connectivity also mean more emissions, more electronic waste, and greater resource demands. On average, electronic devices are used for only around three years today; at the same time, over 60 million tons of e-waste were generated worldwide in 2024. For the smart home, we therefore need not only superior technology, but also superior products: more durable, safer, more efficient, and better recyclable.

Materials Define Modern Living

Modern living thus becomes a question of materials. How many cycles the washing machine can withstand, how long the display stays clear, and the armchair remains elastic, whether the refrigerator uses energy efficiently, or whether the digital infrastructure works reliably – within one's own four walls, this is also a question of the right materials. They are often invisible, but crucial in bringing together comfort, safety, design, and sustainability.

This is where the plastics industry comes into play. In the electronics sector, for example, casings, displays, or touchscreens can be made particularly robust, lightweight, and design-friendly through the use of polycarbonates. Polyurethane foams contribute to comfort and energy efficiency – for instance in mattresses, furniture, upholstery, or insulation for air conditioning and refrigeration units.

The infrastructure behind the connected home also requires high-performance materials: fibre-optic networks, cables, connectors, housings, 5G base stations, and Wi-Fi components must function reliably and withstand stress over many years. Coatings, resins, and high-tech plastics can help make these systems more resilient and longer lasting.

World Population Day makes it clear: the question is no longer simply how many people live on this planet, but how they want to live – and with what materials we shape this transformation. Because modern living comfort is not created by the next app or the latest device. It is created where technology, design, and materials work together.

True strength, however, always has a mental dimension – it requires an intellectual foundation. It is therefore important and right that the Irish are placing emphasis on the values that define and attract people to Europe: democracy, freedom and the rule of law, tolerance and diversity.

But only those with a solid economic foundation can be truly strong. Europe's, however, is creaking worryingly.

Most dangerous in the long term: our capacity for innovation is declining. Research intensity, patent activity, venture capital financing, talent retention – at the critical levers, the gap with China and the United States is widening. No less alarming: investment activity is increasingly eroding, with more and more companies relocating their operations to other regions or being forced to shut them down in Europe.

A Strong Europe Needs a Strong Chemical Industry

This applies with particular force to chemicals – the mother of all industries. As Europe's second-largest sector, it supplies the basic materials for virtually every other industry – from automotive and pharmaceuticals to agriculture, energy and electronics. Without a strong chemical base, there is no strong industry, and no strong Europe.

Yet since 2022 alone, the chemical sector has already lost around ten percent of its production capacity and 20,000 jobs; nearly 90,000 more are at risk. At the same time, investment in new capacity has fallen by almost 90 percent.

Europe cannot function this way. This is how we become weaker, not stronger.

But there is a glimmer of hope. Ireland has set a clear additional priority for its presidency, alongside values and security: strengthening European competitiveness. For me, that means above all giving companies the regulatory environment without which they cannot operate and thrive – a demand that has been raised time and again, and which must now finally acted upon.

I will not list everything that needs to happen here. Ireland is addressing the right topics – from cutting red tape and ensuring energy security to expanding trade partnerships and deepening the single market.

What I want to emphasize above all is what must not happen. It cannot be that the EU, in a highly dynamic world, still shows so little flexibility. That it clings to principles established long ago under very different circumstances. This applies in particular to climate policy. Of course Europe must fight climate change and curb its consequences, that goes without saying. After all, our continent is warming faster than any other – the current heatwave is a stark reminder of what may still lie ahead.

Climate Policy Without Dogmatism

With the Emissions Trading System (ETS), Europe essentially has the right instrument for climate protection: companies that emit CO₂ must hold certificates to do so – those who emit less save money; those who emit more must buy additional allowances.

But the ETS must not be applied dogmatically. And yet that is precisely what threatens to happen. Continuously reducing the number of certificates, providing energy-intensive sectors like chemicals with ever fewer free allocations, and tightening the "benchmarks" – the conditions governing allocation: these plans strike at the very heart of the basic materials industry.

Because we simply lack what it takes to produce in a climate-neutral way: affordable renewable energy, functioning hydrogen infrastructure, markets for low-carbon products.

And one more thing: the free allocation of certificates is by no means a subsidy instrument – it is protection against carbon leakage. Because when production moves outside Europe, global CO₂ emissions do not fall. They rise. An ETS that tightens faster than industry can transform itself does not drive emissions out of Europe – it drives out investment. And that cannot be the goal.

As currently planned, the ETS could become the gravedigger of industry rather than the driver of the green transformation that Europe – rightly – pursues as a business and export model. Competitiveness – that agenda item could then be abandoned altogether.

Ní neart go cur le Chéile – unity is strength. That is true. But so is this: good intentions do not always make for good outcomes. The EU must not only focus on the right issues. It must have the courage to address them with realism and pragmatism.

Strength requires both.

Yet with every additional challenge, many people feel an increasing sense of powerlessness, growing doubt in their own effectiveness, and a self-perception as a mere cog in the machine. People are aware of the problems, feel the concerns – and yet fail to rouse themselves into action. All the more important, therefore, are impulses that pull us out of the role of spectator: community planting initiatives, clean-up days, open workshops, and initiatives such as the recently held worldwide Sustainable Energy Days, launched by the European Union.

Here, citizens, communities, organisations and companies have been encouraged to advance the energy transition locally – the overarching global mega-project to curb climate change and secure an increasingly volatile energy supply. From March to June, the aim was not only to explore clean energy solutions through grassroots actions – workshops, panel discussions, exhibitions, interactive experiences – but above all to put them into practice.

Energy Efficiency First

The spotlight usually falls on renewable energies, and there is indeed significant progress here – in 2025, global expansion reached an all-time high. Nevertheless, we should always keep in mind: The best energy is the energy we do not consume in the first place. The EU has accordingly enshrined "Energy Efficiency First" as a political principle. By 2030, the Union is to consume 11.7 percent less energy than projected in a 2020 baseline scenario without additional climate policy.

A key lever for greater efficiency is industry, which accounts for around one quarter of energy consumption in the EU. And it is precisely in this sector that the greatest efficiency gains can be realized in the short term. Studies by the EU Commission and the IEA show that those who utilize waste heat can achieve energy savings of up to 20 percent. And through new production processes, the energy requirements of individual operations can even be reduced by up to 60 percent.

But these are not mere theoretical models, this is lived reality. The step from wanting to doing – industry is taking it, and above all the particularly energy-intensive chemical sector. Covestro has now launched its largest energy efficiency project to date: At its Dormagen site in Germany, a compressor is being installed that heats waste steam and increases its pressure, allowing it to be optimally utilized in other production processes. 

Thanks to this single process innovation alone, the company will be able to reduce its total energy consumption in Germany by two percent per year going forward. In total, Covestro has already initiated more than one thousand such projects, all aligned with its strategic goal: to consume 20 percent less energy per tonne of product produced by 2030 compared to the beginning of this decade.

Hand in hand with this, the company is increasingly relying on renewable energies, which already supply several sites around the globe. Combined with savings, they are intended to help make ongoing operations climate-neutral by 2035. To this end, investments in the in the triple-digit million-euro range are planned by 2030.

Framework Conditions Hamper Implementation

But willing companies like Covestro must also be enabled to act. For them, efficiency and the transformation towards climate neutrality and a circular economy require a business case – in other words, economic attractiveness.

At present, however, many of the framework conditions, particularly in the EU, are structured in such a way that industry can barely advance its transformation. Among other things, there is insufficient renewable energy available at internationally competitive prices, and the EU is considering steps that would once again massively increase the CO₂ costs for companies.

Conclusion: We need inspiration through actions like the Sustainable Energy Days and awards like the European Sustainable Energy Awards, which were just presented in Brussels to companies, municipalities and individuals for outstanding projects. But we also need the right framework in which such projects can flourish. Then we can truly go from wanting to doing.

That is why countries around the globe are investing heavily in next-generation technologies. The United States is driving its industrial transformation through multi-billion-dollar programs, while China is strategically expanding its technological leadership. Europe, too, is focusing on research funding, more innovation-friendly framework conditions, and political initiatives such as the planned European Innovation Act, which aims to strengthen the links between fundamental research, industrial application, and investment.

Germany’s new High-Tech Agenda should also be seen in this context. Its objective is to focus more strategically on key future technologies such as artificial intelligence, microelectronics, and biotechnology. All of this is important and necessary. Yet what truly matters is not only generating new knowledge, but also how quickly discoveries can be translated into concrete applications, industrial processes, and market-ready solutions.

Research Must Deliver Impact

This is precisely where one of the greatest challenges for Germany and Europe lies. A persistent gap remains between excellent research and its industrial deployment. Many promising ideas never progress beyond the laboratory stage because reliable transfer structures, investment incentives, or industrial scaling opportunities needed for market maturity are lacking.

Accelerating innovation requires more than technology roadmaps alone. What is needed above all is a seamless innovation pathway, from basic research and pilot plants to large-scale industrial production. Only if science, industry, and policymakers work closely together in this way can innovations unfold their full economic and societal potential.

Taking a Broader View of Innovation

To build a truly future proof and globally competitive innovation ecosystem, a broad foundation and diverse drivers of innovation are essential. Innovation policy programs such as the German High-Tech Agenda therefore need to be conceived more comprehensively. Business should be more deeply involved – especially the chemical industry. Many key and cross-cutting sectors can only succeed with innovative materials and chemical processes. Whether circular economy, climate-neutral production, battery technologies, semiconductors, or renewable energy – chemistry is embedded in nearly every future-oriented industry and must always have a seat at the table.

Covestro provides a practical example of what this looks like. In electromobility, for instance, the company’s materials help make vehicles lighter, more efficient, more affordable, and easier to recycle – paving the way for mass-market adoption. Another field of the future is humanoid robotics, where artificial intelligence is enabling ever more capable systems. High-performance plastics, films, and coatings developed by Covestro bridge the gap between digital intelligence and physical action: they give robots structure and fine motor skills, reduce weight, and ensure the durability required for continuous industrial use.

What connects these examples is clear: material innovations are not niche topics but enabling technologies indispensable to nearly every industrial future area. Yet for these levers to achieve their full impact, more than isolated pioneers are needed. What is required is collective action across industries and sectors.

Innovation needs a holistic approach – this is also what Made for Germany stands for, a unique initiative bringing together around 130 companies from virtually every sector: from mechanical engineering and automotive manufacturers to energy providers, financial services companies, software developers, and chemical specialists. Covestro is also part of the initiative and has contributed concrete proposals, among other things, to strengthen technology and education.

Above all, the goal is to overcome silo thinking. Only then will good ideas move beyond theory and make a real world impact.

On Europe Day, May 9th, I ask myself: How much is this idea still worth, how enforceable is it still in a world changing so rapidly? Much has happened since my time as a student. The enlargement of the European Union brought more diversity, but its deepening also brought more complexity. And currently we are witnessing the shift from a multilateral to a multipolar order, in which international and supranational institutions and principles seem to be losing significance and influence.

But I remain convinced: cooperation and rules-based thinking and action are – and will ultimately remain – the key to success, to overcoming challenges and advancing humanity, in Europe and everywhere else in the world.

The question of capacity to act remains. In my current job as a "lobbyist" in the chemical industry, I often discuss the question: What can we control, what can we influence – and what do we have to let go? Applied to the EU and the European idea, this means: one must define one's sphere of influence and make decisions about the allocation of resources. In short, the EU should focus even more on its strengths.

Focus on strengths

And for me, that means above all strengthening the capacity for innovation. The EU and its 27 member states are full of ideas – with industries and companies boasting decades or centuries of experience, with start-ups driven by talent from renowned universities and practical expertise.

European countries still contributed to over 40 percent of global patent applications in 2024, with a clear focus on industrial sectors including transport, medical technology, biotechnology, and green technologies. This is clear evidence of the capacity to act. The chemical sector in particular has a high innovation potential.

In my day-to-day working environment, I see progress especially in contributions to creating a sustainable world – a top priority for Europe itself, where climate change is now making itself felt in full force. Companies like Covestro demonstrate how a climate-neutral and circular future can work: by designing products for circularity from the outset, manufacturing them with non-fossil raw materials, and ultimately recycling them using innovative technologies such as chemical recycling.

Europe has the ability to drive change, to produce new solutions for the continent and the world. And that is precisely what matters: showing the world that the EU is useful and delivers, that the European idea of diversity and cooperation is the very opposite of an outdated model.

But this also requires a deepening of cooperation. At the political level too, this means the institutional expansion of EU competences – for example in common industrial policy, energy and raw material security, the capital markets union, and a genuine European digital and innovation strategy.

Enhance cooperation

Industries and companies also need more cross-border networks and innovation projects, partly funded by the EU, that bring together companies and universities for a common purpose. In the chemical sector, we see this for example in European consortia for developing new battery materials, in joint pilot plants for hydrogen technologies, or in scaling innovative processes for climate-neutral basic chemicals.

But even beyond individual research projects, companies could cooperate more broadly – to invest, build up reserves, and jointly manage production, transport, and supply networks.

The European Union can help create the framework for this. One example: for the chemicals and plastics industry, there is currently too little certainty and too few incentives to invest in circular solutions. The proposals for how this can be changed are on the table. With the Circular Economy Act, the European Commission can still provide the decisive impetus this year – provided it does not limit the scope to critical (inorganic) raw materials.

Uphold the European project

Yet as important as the right political framework conditions are – what is decisive is that all actors are aware of the value of the European idea and actively contribute to upholding belief and trust in the European project. All member states joined the European Union with the promise of peace and prosperity, through the single market, based on social rights and environmental protection.

To fulfil these promises, it takes an optimistic will to make a difference, to make things work. It is about the ability to act and the awareness of that ability.

Europe does not run on autopilot. It is a choice – made anew every day. A choice for cooperation over isolation, for progress over stagnation, for courage over fatigue. If we make this choice, then the European idea will not merely stay alive. It will become the driving force of our future.

The region is warming twice as fast as the global average. In 2025, temperatures across at least 95 percent of Europe were far above the normal range, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns. And it simultaneously emphasizes what is now most urgent: a massive expansion of the circular economy.

Deliberations in Brussels

The warning comes at the right moment. A pivotal decision is currently being made within the EU: the College of Commissioners is deliberating on the direction of the Circular Economy Act – a landmark legislative initiative planned for this year that aims to accelerate Europe's transition to circularity.

That it must be advanced swiftly for environmental reasons alone is made abundantly clear by the WMO warning. But we should not promote the circular economy solely on environmental grounds. We must also recognize it as a strategic lever capable of strengthening Europe's resilience in the geopolitical arena – and at the same time as a major opportunity to drive the EU forward economically.

The circular economy holds enormous untapped economic potential – in Europe and worldwide. As the recently published Circularity Gap Report highlights, an estimated 25 trillion euros in value is lost globally every year due to the continued dominance of the linear economy – nearly one third of global GDP.

Untapped Potential

Germany, the EU member state with the highest material consumption, could also benefit enormously from a consistent and comprehensive introduction of the circular economy: the country’s gross value added from the circular economy could more than double from around 60 billion euros today to up to 125 billion euros by 2045. This is the finding of a comprehensive study by the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and Boston Consulting Group.

Covestro, with its expertise in materials science, contributed to the study. Among other things, we are working on innovative technologies to enable the large-scale recycling of plastics – for example, polyurethane foam used in mattresses, of which an estimated 40 million are discarded and sent to landfill across Europe every year.

Chemical recycling can change this. Our "Evocycle^® CQ mattress" process makes it possible to break down the foam into its two core components and reuse them at high quality to produce new polyurethane.

This is part of a holistic approach in which we look not only at recovering products at the end of their life, but also at the very beginning of their creation – with design that incorporates circularity from the outset, and with renewable raw materials such as plant-based biomass instead of crude oil.

Priorities for Europe

Especially when it comes to raw materials, it becomes clear that the circular economy not only boosts economic strength but also increases resilience. Those who use materials for longer, more efficiently, and in closed loops reduce dependencies on raw material markets, supply chain risks, and price fluctuations. This also reinforces key areas such as energy and defense – two of the EU's most exposed flanks.

In Germany alone, consistent recycling and remanufacturing could reduce import dependency for rare earths by 20 percent and for strategic battery materials by 10 percent by 2045.

This is another reason why we should make 2026 the year of the circular economy and unlock its full potential. As the Commission deliberates on the Circular Economy Act, it should, in my view, be guided by three priorities.

First, create an efficient European market for secondary raw materials with as little administrative burden as possible. Second, set incentives to drive greater demand for and use of alternative raw materials, including recyclates – for example through tax benefits and greater consideration in public procurement. And third, improve investment security and thereby lay the foundation for technological expansion in the circular economy by ensuring that chemical recycling, in particular, is widely recognized in regulation.

Those who implement the circular economy consistently will gain ecologically, economically, and geopolitically. The Circular Economy Act offers the opportunity to turn this triple win into reality – and in doing so, to strengthen the long-term viability of both Europe and Germany.

Having drinking water of good quality, available at any time, is a luxury we should be conscious of in a country like Germany. In many regions of the world, the situation looks very different: one in four people has no access to safely managed drinking water.

At the same time, water is becoming scarcer worldwide. 3.6 billion people – nearly half the world's population – experience at least one month of water scarcity every year. A challenge that increasingly affects the Global North as well.

The European Union has long been focused on both aspects – quality and availability. The Water Framework Directive, in place since 2000, states: “Water is not a commercial product like any other but, rather, a heritage which must be protected, defended and treated as such.”

I am glad that this essential issue for humanity has been framed so clearly. Nevertheless, it is obvious that the goals cannot be achieved overnight. The latest revision of the EU directive, entering into force on May 10, aims for a "good status" for water bodies in the Union by 2039.

What I find particularly encouraging is that the political will remains strong. The European Commission is now also focusing on water resilience – protecting the water cycle, ensuring access to clean and affordable water, and building a "water-smart" economy.

The strategy extends to 2050, but the measures needed to implement it must begin now. Because alongside high quality, the adequate availability of water is crucial for life, the economy, and future prosperity – in Europe too.

The Chemical Industry: Part of the Problem and Part of the Solution

The chemical industry, where I work, plays a central role in this: it is both part of the problem and part of the solution. The problem is that, despite continuous improvements, its products still end up in waterways like the Rhine – as trace substances from households, as carelessly discarded waste, and, even with modern wastewater treatment technology, in some cases also from various industrial processes.

Many of my colleagues are working intensively to reduce these inputs: through better processes, cleaner production steps, and new treatment technologies. The industry increasingly relies on activated carbon filters, ion exchangers, and membrane bioreactors that remove pollutants from wastewater before it reaches rivers, lakes, or groundwater.

Through its products, the chemical industry also contributes to water protection. It provides materials for nanofilters, for example, that retain even the smallest pollutants and micro-contaminants – an important component of modern water treatment. Basic chemicals such as hydrochloric acid also play an important role in drinking water treatment. In this way, the sector contributes essential components to modern water purification.

At the same time, the industry is addressing water scarcity by recycling wastewater from production processes. Covestro, for example, uses an innovative technology it co-developed to recover water and salt, which can then be employed to produce the important basic chemical chlorine. Household and other wastewater can also be reused in production, thereby contributing to further savings.

To effectively protect our water bodies, industry, authorities, and policymakers need above all one thing: a shared understanding of which substances occur where and what effects they have. The new EU list of environmental quality standards, covering more than 70 regulated substances, illustrates how complex this task is.

Reliable data, uniform measurement methods, and a clear picture of interconnections are essential for effective action. When all stakeholders share their relevant information – from monitoring data and emission inventories to environmental trends – resources can be deployed where they deliver the greatest benefit.

Enabling Smart Regulation Through Dialogue

Good regulation therefore does not mean regulating "more", but regulating "smarter" – and doing so through dialogue. Environmental, chemical, waste, and climate requirements must be considered together so that measures complement rather than contradict each other, and so that investments remain predictable and manageable.

An important step in this direction is the "Structured Water Dialogues" that the EU intends to launch this year. They are designed to create common standards and base decisions on a solid, shared knowledge base. Industry is not a bystander in this process, but a co-creator – contributing data, technical expertise, and a willingness to invest when the environmental benefit is clear.

Clean water from the tap is no miracle. It is the result of collective effort. And the path to water resilience is the same: it is built through genuine partnerships – between policymakers who set ambitious but realistic goals, authorities who apply them proportionately, and an industry that invests in cleaner processes and better technologies. Because its own future also depends on the health of the water systems in which it operates.

And one of our most important resources becomes paralyzed: creativity. Without it, innovation and progress wither, our ability to resolve conflicts deteriorates, and ultimately value creation and prosperity fall by the wayside. This is a connection worth highlighting on the occasion of World Creativity and Innovation Day.

Worry and stress narrow our perspective. The brain switches from wide-angle to tunnel vision. Overload leaves little room for reflection and unconventional thinking. Fear encourages conformity – in uncertain times, no one wants to say or do the wrong thing.

The world needs creative solutions

But when we instinctively fall back on familiar patterns in complex situations, we risk overlooking opportunities. Especially now, it is crucial to consciously create spaces for new ideas – even when everyday pressures work against it. In this difficult world full of challenges, we need new solutions, not old answers.

This applies particularly to industry and sectors such as chemicals, on whose innovative strength so much depends: ensuring that modern life functions, and enabling major areas to become fit for the future – from energy and mobility to food and healthcare. At the same time, the chemical industry must continually reinvent itself: to regain its traditional strengths and keep pace with a changing world and the customer needs of tomorrow.

The thousands of employees in companies therefore urgently need an environment that unleashes creativity rather than restricting it. This includes fostering psychological safety: strengthening a culture in which mistakes are accepted and ideas can be voiced openly – even when they are still unfinished or later turn out not to be viable. A corporate health management system with a wide range of offerings can also support positive mental well-being.

And – equally important: inventiveness and creative energy draw heavily on collaboration, inclusion and a sense of belonging. In many companies, awareness is growing of how essential cross-functional cooperation has become. Covestro is one such example – embracing this approach through interdisciplinary teams and external partnerships with universities and start-ups.

Creativity – an investment in the future

Companies that invest in creative cultures today secure their future viability. Creativity emerges where curiosity meets knowledge and where people are willing to think in new directions. Innovation arises where these ideas become tangible through collaboration and consistent research.

New technologies such as artificial intelligence can support and accelerate creative processes – but they cannot replace the human ability to think against the grain, ask uncomfortable questions and make unusual connections.

Creativity is deeply rooted in us as human beings. It shows itself in the courage to voice an unfinished idea, and it begins with the willingness to build on a colleague’s thought. For in times of upheaval, it is creative strength that determines who merely copes with change – and who actively shapes it.

This is true especially for industry, where the first machine‑like living beings are now being deployed. According to a recent study, up to 60 percent of manual tasks in areas such as production and logistics can, in principle, be automated. By 2030, several million humanoids could be installed.

The Hannover Messe makes clear to me why this is happening: the dynamic development is driven by the enormous innovative power of thousands of large and small companies. For example, on the opening day of the trade show, industrial supplier Schaeffler won the prestigious Hermes Award for an actuator platform – essentially the “muscles” in the joints of androids, enabling ever more precise fine motor skills.

Material Innovations for Technological Leaps

Automation and digitalization are the major technological drivers of industry, accompanied by the shift to electric energy. But we must also remember: all these robots, high‑tech computers, solar modules, wind turbines, and countless other forward‑looking applications always require equally innovative materials.

It is worth looking at a field that accelerates technological development significantly behind the scenes: lightweight construction. A key cross‑sectional technology that has long been underestimated. In Germany for example, the host country of the Hannover Messe, every second economic sector is connected to it. Lightweight construction directly contributes nearly four percent to Germany’s economic output and accounts for almost three percent of jobs.

It is therefore understandable that the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs hosts the Lightweighting Summit at the fair every year. The motto of this year’s event, where I had the honor of giving the keynote: “Advantage Through Efficiency.” A topic that is becoming increasingly important for industry in times of rising competition and cost pressure.

Lightweight Construction with High‑Quality Plastics

In manufacturing, material costs are known to account for more than half of total costs. Increasing material productivity – meaning the ratio of value creation to material input – is essential to remain competitive globally. Resource‑efficient technologies such as lightweight construction are the key to it.

And high‑quality plastics are the ideal material for lightweight construction. Here, too, an epochal change is underway. AI and quantum computing are opening entirely new dimensions in development and production.

But even today, plastics impress with an unparalleled combination of excellent properties. They have low density while offering high strength. This makes it possible to manufacture components significantly lighter than, for example, metal. At the same time, plastics allow for low‑energy and cost‑efficient manufacturing processes.

However, economic viability is not measured solely by cost and material use, but also by functionality. And plastics excel here as well. Their high design freedom allows numerous features to be integrated – such as electronic elements like LEDs, sensors, or conductive tracks. These are also important material properties that drive lightweight construction forward.

Advantages for Efficiency and Resilience

But we cannot think about efficiency without considering a complementary economic core factor: resilience. Especially in times of volatile energy prices, lower energy demand becomes a strategic advantage – and those who rely on lightweight construction reduce it significantly: in production, in transport, and in operation.

At the same time, increasingly vulnerable supply chains benefit. Lighter components ease transport capacities, increase payload, and enable faster shifts between transport modes in times of crisis – from sea to air, from road to rail.

And finally, lightweight construction reduces not only weight but also complexity: function‑integrated components and modular structures simplify assembly and automation, reduce error rates, and make production systems more robust overall.

E‑Cars Benefit from Lower Weight

In light of this duality of resilience and efficiency, lightweight construction with high‑quality plastics is exactly the right approach to drive the transformation of key sectors. The strength of these advantages becomes especially clear in the mobility transition and the megatrend toward electric propulsion.

Just one hundred kilograms less on the scale reduces electricity consumption by an average of two to four percent. This extends the range without increasing battery size. Lightweight plastics such as polycarbonate reduce the high battery weight, protect the sensitive cells, and make vehicles more aerodynamic overall.

Electric cars have already arrived in everyday life, and humanoid robots will increasingly shape it. Without breakthroughs in materials science, without lightweight construction, and without the quiet performance of modern plastics, such technological leaps would be unthinkable. If we want to shape the future, this is exactly where we must begin – with the materials that make progress possible in the first place.

It’s a waste of value and resources – something that becomes even more apparent to me on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Waste. According to UN estimates, around 19 percent of all food is affected, while another 14 percent is lost after harvest. At the same time, the total amount of waste worldwide is expected to increase by another half by the middle of the century. These are conditions we as a society can afford less and less. Food waste in particular is a nail in the coffin of global food security. And that security becomes increasingly precarious – especially this year.

In 2026, food systems are increasingly suffering from climate chain reactions. A particularly strong El Niño is expected – the global weather phenomenon that warms the Pacific and disrupts the jet stream, the fast-moving air current that circles the Earth. The result: droughts and floods in the world's most important growing regions. Ocean temperatures have also been rising dangerously—twice as fast as 20 years ago—with devastating consequences for fish stocks.

2026 Threatens a Particularly Critical Food Situation

What makes 2026 particularly critical for the global food situation is also the war in the Persian Gulf. If ammonia and urea can no longer pass through the Strait of Hormuz, fertilizer could become scarce – precisely when many farmers need it most. If they miss the narrow spring window, yield losses for this year and the next are inevitable.

Geopolitical shocks and climate turbulence make one thing abundantly clear to me: zero food waste is anything but a niche topic. It is an ambitious goal that must be tackled quickly, seriously, and systematically – day by day. I see three main levers that can help secure food for the world's growing population – by 2050 alone, we are expected to have 1.5 billion more people.

First: Save Calories
When fertilizer is scarce and timing is critical, efficiency is everything. Micro- and precision irrigation, for example, using dense networks of pipes and valves delivers "more yield per drop" and reduces harvest losses. Simple solar dryers – also made with high-quality plastics – help secure harvests and farmers' incomes in regions with high temperatures and frequent power outages.

Second: Save Kilos
In an El Niño year, shelf life matters. Highly efficient cold chains keep goods fresh – from field to kitchen, even during heat peaks and transport delays. Effective packaging is equally important. State-of-the-art, recyclable plastic films and coatings regulate oxygen supply and moisture, keeping food fresh for longer.

We must remember: producing the food itself usually requires far more resources than producing its packaging. If good, circular packaging helps prevent food from spoiling, the overall ecological balance is ultimately more positive.

On the other hand, when hygiene, demand, and logistics align, the unpackaged concept also works well. And in many households, precisely portioned quantities can reduce waste. What matters most is thinking from the end: generating as little waste as possible.

Circular Economy Contributes to Food Security

Which brings me to my third point: Closing the Loop
Food waste – which ideally should not be generated in the first place – should not end up in landfills. Instead, it should serve as valuable biomass to produce useful products. And packaging must be biocompostable or consistently recycled.

This requires diverse options and technologically new approaches, such as chemical recycling of plastics. We also need incentives, standardization, and transparency. Deposit systems, for example, return large quantities of PET bottles and enable bottle-to-bottle cycles. Digital labeling increases sorting accuracy and makes deposit and take-back systems scalable. And digital product passports make material flows visible and measurable.

We have the concepts, materials, and engineering expertise. But we are not applying them consistently enough – even as the need for action becomes ever more urgent. Packaging without a take-back route is not an embarrassment but negligence. Products without waste utilization in the business model are not an oversight but a risk.

Of course, it will be laborious and more expensive. But inaction costs more – ultimately even human lives. There are many ways to put a stop to food loss and waste. Let's get to it: pragmatically, science-based, collaboratively. From my kitchen to the supply chain.

In our world of upheaval – marked by instability, power projection, and the erosion of norms – we are witnessing the emergence of new guiding logics. I observe foreign and security policy becoming increasingly geoeconomic in nature, while geopolitics and security, in turn, gain growing importance in the business sphere.

Politics becomes geoeconomic – business becomes geopolitical

Politically, we see a shifting perspective on globalization and economic integration: they are now increasingly viewed as potential risks to independence and national security. Infrastructure and supply chains are being used as instruments of geostrategic influence, as illustrated by the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment or the EU’s Global Gateway initiative – both responses to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Trade and industrial policy increasingly serve as extensions of security policy by other means. Protectionism – through sanctions, export controls, and investment screening – has become the new normal.

And what about business? In an era in which tariffs and financial instruments are turning into geoeconomic weapons, a new mindset is taking hold. For me, too, this has meant rethinking long familiar assumptions. During the long era of globalization, with its transnational markets and institutions, corporate action operated under the primacy of efficiency. Now, resilience is emerging as an additional strategic benchmark.

A new paradigm for corporate action

Security is becoming an ever greater cost and steering factor in global value chains. Resilience, security, autonomy: under this banner, companies must increasingly reconfigure their procurement and sales markets – through multisourcing, regionalization, and re- , near- , or friendshoring. These principles must also guide production decisions: maintaining redundant structures, distributing sites across multiple countries, and broadening and decarbonizing the energy and feedstock base.

And that is not all. Cross cutting risks are increasingly spilling over into the corporate world and becoming more tangible at the political and societal levels. Hybrid threats such as cyber attacks, sabotage, and disinformation; environmental risks such as the planetary triple crisis of climate change, resource depletion, and pollution; and the volatility of global financial and currency markets – all of these factors make the economy systemically more vulnerable and require strategic responses.

Internally, the key priority is to firmly anchor resilience as a board level and governance issue. Externally, the importance of the economy – and particularly the basic materials industries – for the security and resilience of countries and alliances such as the European Union cannot be overstated.

Chemicals as a system critical sector

The chemical sector forms the foundation of nearly every value chain and plays an essential role in sectors such as energy, mobility, healthcare, infrastructure, and defense. It is also a driving force for climate neutrality and the circular economy. After all, the green transformation itself contributes to resilience, security, and autonomy – something we must not lose sight of amid the many acute global crises.

A strong industrial base – capable of future oriented innovation and driving domestic investment – must remain a central pillar in safeguarding and expanding national capacity to act. At the same time, I caution against excessive renationalization of economic activity. Innovation, investment, and value creation thrive only through openness, exchange, and cooperation.

Accordingly, the international system must evolve along two tracks: by forging new rule based alliances with those who share similar interests and perspectives, and by engaging confidently with systemic rivals, while keeping doors open. What we need are fair, resilient markets with clear rules – not arbitrary walls.

But the intellectual universe of the now very elderly scholar feels as if it belongs to another era. Our present is shaped by polarization, isolation, and self interest. Advocates of a “rules based order,” the foundation of the long period of globalization’s successes, are struggling. Value driven politics appears to many as little more than pleasant sounding rhetoric.

Another social theorist is enjoying a renaissance – Niccolò Machiavelli, the apologist of ruthless power politics. States, institutions, and social groups encounter one another with skepticism and rejection; confidence in the competence and problem solving ability of the other side is fading.

The result: irritation, uncertainty, a loss of trust. According to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer, released as always ahead of the World Economic Forum, an “insular mindset driven by grievance and pessimism,” now prevails.

Reviving Dialogic Communication

I am back in Davos this year, and the motto “A Spirit of Dialogue” resonates with me as a communicator. I am convinced that only through exchange and cooperation can the world ultimately move forward – despite all power driven egoism. It is overflowing with shared challenges that affect all eight billion people worldwide in one way or another and that require collective action – alongside the acute crises, particularly the threats to the Earth system.

To foster rapprochement and regain trust, we must return to thinkers like Habermas and strengthen dialogic communication. Building bridges through genuine exchange at eye level instead of merely presenting entrenched positions.

Listening instead of broadcasting, connecting instead of dividing. And jointly arriving at new insights and solutions – an approach that works well in business. At Covestro, we see that dialogic and partnership based collaboration makes innovation possible in the first place, enabling us to overcome problems and advance society – for example in the major project of the circular economy, the key to overcoming the global systemic crisis of climate change, species extinction, resource depletion, and environmental pollution.

If the WEF succeeds in conveying these insights more strongly, much would be gained. If the “Spirit of Dialogue” is rekindled, it could give new momentum to the many who are solution oriented – and counter the prevailing pessimism. But to achieve this, the summit – like other global forums – must also transform itself: initiating the shift from an elite conversation to a multilateral discourse.

From Elite Panels to Multilateral Discourse

A growing gap is emerging here. What decision makers and opinion leaders think and want often aligns only loosely with the views of the broader public – the “streets versus elites” narrative. This becomes evident, for example, in attitudes toward artificial intelligence, as PR consultancy FGS Global recently found: while managers mostly expect efficiency gains, the general population often fears job losses and higher energy costs.

What is needed are mediators between different worlds. This is where communication professionals come into play. They are increasingly becoming architects of trust, creating shared spaces for action. In our fragmented world, dialogic communication is becoming a strategic core competence. It must be fostered and disseminated. Habermas and similar thinkers are more relevant than ever.

What nevertheless gives me hope are two things. First, a growing political momentum in Berlin and Brussels. And second, the industry’s traditional strength – its innovative power – which must be directed even more strongly toward the big trends of sustainability and resilience. Because the chemical industry not only keeps the entire economy running. It can also help ensure that Germany and Europe remain autonomous in the geopolitical power struggle and continue the green transformation.

Both the federal government and the European Commission understand the importance and the difficult situation of our industry. And they are taking action. After Berlin launched a “Chemistry Agenda” late last year – aimed at reaching decisions by spring through deeper dialogue between industry and policymakers – the EU is now also moving: In Geleen in the Netherlands, the “Critical Chemicals Alliance” is being established – another roundtable to strengthen the sector, and one that is starting only half a year after being announced in Brussels.

Pressure from All Sides

This initiative, like the various other measures to improve the framework conditions, cannot come soon enough. Its agenda shows how much pressure the chemical industry faces from all directions: weak demand, growing international competition – some of it engaging in dumping – energy, raw materials, and labor that are too expensive, and not least a CO₂ pricing regime that is not competitive. More and more plants are being forced to shut down – disastrous not only for competitiveness and value creation, but also for Europe’s resilience.

The Alliance’s agenda also addresses issues that are less well known: European chemical plants are extremely old by international standards. The average age is 47 years, compared with under 30 in the U.S., less than 20 in the Middle East, and just around ten years in China.

These are structural deficits that must now be tackled with urgency. And like the federal government, the Commission also wants to achieve initial results quickly – many still in the first half of the year. Crucial here is close coordination between the EU level dialogue and the efforts within member states. Much more than before, these must complement and reinforce each other. And EU countries must implement the recommendations as quickly as possible and adjust their own mechanisms where necessary.

But despite all the optimism, old fears creep in. That Brussels may take the analytical process too far as it develops new assessment tools. And that it may slip even deeper into a mode of detailed central planning. If the goal becomes identifying which specific raw materials or which specific sites are “critical,” this might cause the regulatory and documentation jungle – finally beginning to clear – to grow back again. And it could ultimately divide our industry.

More Room to Maneuver

What the chemical industry needs – beyond all the necessary regulatory details – is room to maneuver. Only with less ballast can we accelerate and unleash our full innovative power. Innovation is Europe’s sharpest weapon in global competition. The federal government rightly wants to make Germany the world’s most innovative location for chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.

And our industry is pushing hard in that direction. Last year, despite the strained economic situation, research investments rose to a record €16.5 billion. Now it is crucial to channel these funds wisely.

Toward innovations in sustainability, which is increasingly becoming an economic necessity. Germany and Europe still have the chance to develop a credible and economically viable leadership role here. Security and autonomy form the second major future field that requires innovative solutions from the chemical industry. And here, too, our sector has much to offer – supported by the growing use of digital tools such as AI and quantum computing, which can catapult research and development into entirely new dimensions.

Germany and Europe, as knowledge-based economies, have enormous opportunities right now. But this requires freedom and openness – the opposite of planned economy constraints. In Germany, the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs is advocating for more consistent regulatory policy. I hope this approach prevails in Brussels as well. And if our industry simultaneously recalibrates itself, then perhaps in the near future we will indeed be able to say: danger averted.

Because as fragmented and chaotic as geopolitics appears, the problems requiring joint solutions are deeply interconnected. Two comprehensive new studies published ahead of the conference in Kenya underscore this. They shook me – both negatively and positively.

First, the alarm signal. What the OECD states in its Environmental Outlook to 2050 should give us all pause – because it concerns us all, sooner or later: Climate change, species extinction, resource depletion, and environmental pollution are increasingly converging into a systemic “triple crisis” of planetary scale.

360-Degree View Instead of Silo Thinking

This connection must be vied and addressed much more holistically; humanity simply cannot afford silo thinking anymore. If we continue as we do today, experts warn that by mid-century we will see severe deterioration in all dimensions.

But now to the more encouraging side. If governments and businesses decisively invest in protecting climate and nature, millions of people could be lifted out of poverty and spared disease and premature death. Moreover, immense economic benefits beckon: By 2070, global economic output could be at least $20 trillion higher per year than under business as usual, according to the Global Environment Outlook recently presented by UNEP.

Non-Action Is Not an Option

Of course, investments are high – averaging around $8 trillion annually until 2050 for net-zero emissions as well as biodiversity protection and restoration. However, the costs of inaction would be significantly higher. Just consider what increasingly extreme weather events mean financially. That should resonate even with those skeptical of “green” topics.

I can only echo UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen’s message: “Either humanity continues toward a future ravaged by climate change, vanishing nature, degraded soils, and polluted air. Or it changes course and secures a healthy planet, healthy people, and healthy economies. That’s not really a choice.”

A sustainable world as a task, an opportunity, and an economic imperative – this perfectly matches my mindset. Despite all justified concerns, we must not see the future only in dark tones. And certainly not dismiss sustainability efforts as naïve or burdensome. Quite the opposite: If – simply put – more and more join in, the world can become livable again: cleaner, healthier, and more comfortable, smarter and more participatory. And also wealthier.

Harnessing High-Tech Materials

Ideas and plans abound. Knowledge, tools, and technologies exist, as the studies emphasize. This motivates me even more to advance the development of future-oriented materials such as high-tech plastics. They are essential to progress in virtually all areas of action.

Take the energy sector, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases fueling climate change: Plastics help transition to clean sources like wind and solar power. Or agriculture, the biggest driver of ecosystem loss. Plastics can enable more efficient, eco-friendly farming methods, for example through biodegradable seed coatings.

Circular Economy as a Comprehensive Concept

But, as mentioned, it’s not (only) about isolated solutions. It’s about conceptually linking climate, nature, and environmental protection more effectively. And there is a key strategy for this: the circular economy. A societal program that can unite conscious consumption, environmentally compatible production methods, and sustainable growth.

Applied consistently, it tackles the intertwined causes of the “triple crisis”: Climate- and health-damaging emissions will decline, we will need fewer resources, ecosystems and species will be preserved, and our waste volume will shrink.

This naturally includes ensuring that less plastic waste ends up in our environment. I very much hope we finally achieve a sensible global agreement on this – and that all actors prove the term “international community” does not become meaningless.

World Science Day for Peace and Development, celebrated every November, reminds us how essential scientific thinking is for progress and social cohesion. Without the willingness to examine, develop, and apply knowledge, not only research but society itself stagnates.

Facts Fuel Progress

Science is the foundation of every modern knowledge-based society. It helps us understand complex challenges and develop solutions – from the energy transition and new materials to global food security. But in an era where disinformation and simplistic narratives gain traction and research institutions face mounting pressure, science needs strong advocates.

For business – and especially for the chemical industry – science is not an abstract ideal but the basis for innovation, value creation, and sustainable growth. Covestro, for example, conducts global research on climate-neutral production, circular economy, and materials that improve life in countless ways. Without scientific excellence, there would not be any new technologies, no reliable data – and certainly no sustainable answers to today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

When trust in scientific principles erodes, the willingness to innovate suffers. Progress becomes a matter of chance. That’s why Covestro relies on fact-based decisions – in the lab, in production, and in public dialogue. Only by believing in the power of knowledge can we shape the future. Science is not just a tool for progress; it is an expression of responsibility, for people, markets, and for our planet.

Education: The Key to the Future

Science thrives not only on research but on people who understand and carry it forward. Education is the key to embedding scientific thinking broadly in society. Only those who grasp the mechanisms of research, data, and technology can question critically and help shape the future.

Especially in the digital age, this is more important than ever. Artificial intelligence can accelerate scientific processes, connect insights, and spark new ideas. But it may also become a source of manipulation and disinformation. Media literacy, critical thinking, and trust in scientific methods are therefore indispensable to distinguish truth from deception.

Covestro is committed to promoting STEM education and exchange in schools, universities, and initiatives such as the European Youth Parliament. Science is not an end in itself – it is a shared responsibility, a bridge between people, markets, and opportunities. It creates peace, progress, and perspectives, linking facts with responsibility and ideas with impact.

World Science Day reminds us: Every innovation begins with a question – and with the courage to ask it.

Yet collective action is more urgent than ever, as recent data shows. 2024 not only set a new record for energy-related CO₂ emissions but was also the hottest year since records began. According to the UN Environment Programme, the world is currently on track for a temperature rise of 2.3°C by 2100 in the best-case scenario. That’s far better than the 3.7–4.8°C increase feared a decade ago when the Paris Agreement was signed. But limiting warming to 1.5°C – the goal once pursued with great enthusiasm – is slipping further out of reach and, according to the International Energy Agency, would now require an extraordinary global effort.

Leveraging a Key Tool for Climate Neutrality

One reason for this is that technological options to curb greenhouse gas emissions remain underutilized – especially in one area close to my heart: energy efficiency. Despite the popularity of renewable energy, efficiency still lives in the shadows. Yet improving efficiency is one of the most powerful levers for achieving climate neutrality in the energy sector, which is the largest source of emissions. In short: we must not only make energy greener, we must also use less of it. That’s the message I want to highlight at COP30.

The world is barely moving on energy efficiency. The goal set two years ago at the Dubai Climate Conference – to double the annual efficiency improvement rate to 4% by 2030 – is far off. In 2023 and 2024, the rate was just 1%, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. This means we need even greater efforts and must raise the rate to at least 5% to stay on track.

Driving E-Mobility and Building Insulation

The good news: it’s doable. Experts have long known what needs to be done and where – particularly in construction and transportation, which, alongside energy, are major contributors to CO₂ emissions and global warming. Key measures include switching to electric mobility and optimizing building energy performance. The concepts and technologies are already available.

This is where the chemical industry comes in. It supports climate-friendly electric vehicles by providing lightweight plastics that reduce battery weight and increase range. It also helps make buildings more energy-efficient through high-performance insulation that saves heating and cooling energy. Polyurethane foam is especially effective, offering the best insulation compared to conventional materials.

Of course, the chemical industry itself – a major energy consumer – must also improve efficiency. In Germany, for instance, the sector halved its specific energy use between 1990 and 2022, mainly by adopting combined heat and power systems. But finding new savings is becoming harder.

Covestro Targets 20% Efficiency Gain

That’s why companies like Covestro are developing new processes. This year, we upgraded a production facility in Dormagen, cutting energy use by up to 80% compared to conventional methods. Overall, our goal is to improve energy efficiency – measured as total energy per ton of production – by 20% by 2030 compared to 2020.

The takeaway: Technology can do a lot to make the world more sustainable, and industry can provide crucial momentum. But technology and science alone aren’t enough, of course. Without political will and global cooperation, climate action will stall. Still, it’s reassuring to know that mutirão – the collective effort – rests on a solid high-tech foundation.

The EYP mirrors structures and processes of a real parliament – with specialized committees, debates, and a final plenary session where resolutions are adopted. Topics range from the consequences of climate change to minority rights and migration. This cross-border exchange nurtures a deep understanding of democratic processes and the power of collaboration.

But can we continue to navigate complex issues and find constructive solutions together in the future? The rapid spread of disinformation and populist narratives puts that ability to the test. When falsehoods thrive, trust in scientific facts erodes - and when science is disregarded, rational, consensus-based decision-making falters. The result: polarization, frustration, and stagnation.

Dangers for politics and the economy

How can we safeguard the foundation of our knowledge society? Covestro, an innovation-driven company committed to facts, education, and science - joined the debate in Málaga to explore this question with the young delegates. Disinformation, manipulation, and societal division are not only political threats - but they are also immense economic risks.

Companies like Covestro and industries like the chemical sector depend on the acceptance of science-based solutions – for developing sustainable materials, achieving climate-neutral production, or advancing the circular economy. When trust in science fades, innovation slows down or even stalls.

Investments become riskier, and essential technologies such as chemical recycling face unnecessary resistance fueled by misinformation. At worst, misleading narratives can harm a company’s reputation and its very license to operate.

AI – Catalyst and Challenge

Artificial intelligence adds another layer to the discussion. It can accelerate progress – or amplify disinformation. The EYP participants explored this ambivalence in lively debate.

On one side, AI offers powerful advantages in science and industry: it transforms research, optimizes complex production processes, and accelerates the development of sustainable materials. For Covestro, AI is an essential tool to drive innovation and achieve ambitious sustainability goals.

On the flip side, AI also enables the large-scale creation of deepfakes – realistic falsehoods that blur the line between fact and fiction. This makes it ever more difficult, even for informed citizens, to distinguish truth from manipulation.

Building Media and Digital Literacy

The young delegates agreed: presenting facts alone is no longer enough. We must strengthen media and digital literacy – especially among young people – so that they can recognize manipulation, understand digital dynamics, and separate truth from falsehood.

The experience in Málaga demonstrated the determination of Europe’s youth to stand up for democracy, tolerance, and constructive dialogue. Their critical thinking and solution-oriented spirit are a beacon of hope. At Covestro, we see the European Youth Parliament as a strategic investment in preserving and promoting the future of the society we value – and in the spirit of cooperation, without which there is no progress.

And right now is the perfect opportunity to discuss these issues intensively: During “Urban October”, UN-Habitat, the United Nations program for human settlements, invites us to develop new perspectives on urban life and examine both the challenges and opportunities of urbanization.

Cities in Transition

Why is this relevant? More than half of the world's population lives in cities. And by 2050, according to the UN, it will be nearly 70 percent – that's about 2.4 billion more people than today. To handle this growth, approximately 60 percent of urban infrastructure still needs to be built: housing, transportation networks, energy systems, water pipes. But the city of the future needs to be not only functional, but also sustainable, resilient, and livable.

This isn't just about construction measures – social, ecological, and technological aspects must also be considered. How do we succeed in making cities inclusive? How can they respond to climate change, use resources efficiently, and simultaneously offer quality of life?

New Concepts for Urban Spaces

Future-oriented urban development means responsibly managing limited resources, whether space, energy, or materials. This approach leads to exciting concepts that focus on ecological construction methods and intelligent use of existing structures.

For example, there are pilot projects where abandoned industrial buildings and construction ruins are given new life. By not tearing them down but continuing to use the energy already invested in the original construction, the goal is to create the most positive energy balance possible. Such projects show how architecture and sustainability can go hand in hand and how livable spaces can emerge from seemingly unattractive locations.

Materials for the Future

The right materials are always crucial. Wood, for example, is considered a sustainable building material with many advantages: It creates a pleasant indoor climate, is recyclable, and enables short construction times. Plastics also play an important role, often less visible but all the more effective. They are lightweight, weather-resistant, and versatile. In the city of the future, they find applications in facades, insulation, smart sensors, infrastructure components like water and energy systems, or in new mobility concepts.

Intelligent urban construction will rely on hybrid solutions: materials like wood, concrete, and plastic will be combined to equally fulfill ecological, functional, and design requirements. This creates cost-effective buildings and infrastructure that are not only efficient and durable but can also flexibly respond to future requirements.

What such a holistic approach can look like is demonstrated, for example, by the flagship project STADTQUARTIER 2050 in Germany, which is supported by the federal government. In the city of Überlingen, a climate-neutral district has been created from new and energy-renovated buildings in a beautiful location on Lake Constance – with apartments that are also affordable for the socially disadvantaged. This also includes highly efficient building insulation using components from Covestro.

Visions Require Courage

"Urban October" is a valuable impulse for thinking about the future of our cities. But it's clear: It takes more than 31 days to redesign urban living spaces. It requires technologies, materials, and capital. And it requires visionary thinking, courage, and perseverance.

The Global Hunger Challenge

Approximately 670 million people live with hunger worldwide, and about 2 billion lack regular access to sufficient nutritious food. While these numbers might feel distant to many people in rich countries accustomed to 24/7 food access, our situation may be less secure than we think. For example, experts are warning that Germany could face food access challenges as irrigation water becomes scarcer.

At the same time, the Mediterranean region increasingly faces severe rain events that devastate crops. Europe, a densely populated continent, with its expectation of constant food abundance, may be more vulnerable than we care to admit.

The 2025 Global Food Policy Report confirms these concerns. According to their analysis, climate change will drive global commodity prices up by as much as 18 percent until 2050 compared to a no-climate-change scenario. This price increase could push an additional 78 million people into chronic hunger, with more than half of this increase occurring in Africa south of the Sahara.

We must rise to the challenge. The food system urgently needs to become more sustainable throughout and far beyond climate protection – even more so as global population will grow to an estimated 1.5 billion people by 2050, making it necessary to increase food production by 30 to 60 percent.

Soil and Water: Precious Resources Under Threat

We need to focus on two fundamental resources that are the base of our food security: soil and water. Their protection must be central to any solution we develop, whether high-tech or traditional, in developed or developing regions.

Globally, we're losing topsoil at alarming rates – some estimates suggest 24 billion tons annually. Once degraded, soil can take centuries to regenerate. Water scarcity presents an equally pressing challenge, with agriculture accounting for approximately 70 percent of global freshwater consumption. Managing this essential resource sustainably requires rethinking how we collect, store, distribute, and use water throughout our food systems.

Addressing these challenges requires integrating cutting-edge technology with reimagined traditional practices. Precision farming technologies for example can reduce water usage by up to 30 percent while improving yields. Equally important are innovations in regenerative agriculture that rebuild soil health while sequestering carbon.

In addition, climate adaptation is becoming increasingly crucial and offers opportunities. I witnessed how global warming is transforming traditional agricultural landscapes during my recent trip to Italy, where Chiquita has said it will be testing banana cultivation – a crop traditionally associated with tropical climates now finding potential in southern Europe due to rising temperatures. This represents a pragmatic adaptation approach: recognizing changing conditions and adjusting agricultural systems accordingly.

The Global Food Policy Report also emphasizes that offsetting increased hunger due to climate change could cost upward of 24 billion dollars annually, including investments in agricultural research, water provision, and other infrastructure.

All this underscores the need for innovative, cost-effective solutions that can be implemented at scale.

Materials Matter: Supporting Sustainable Food Systems

My office in Leverkusen is at Covestro, a global materials science company. What makes me happy to work here is that – among tackling many other issues – we develop and offer solutions that support sustainable food systems.

In water management for example, advanced irrigation systems using durable plastics can deliver precise amounts of water directly to plant roots, while biodegradable tree shelters with bio-based coatings help protect our vital forests from losing water. As for soil protection, biodegradable mulch films prevent weed growth and water evaporation. And special seed-coating materials help reduce pollution and improve yield – while also being fully biodegradable.

In order to extend the shelf life and reduce food waste, special coatings can be used which allow for paper packaging to protect against contamination while still being fully recyclable. Such approaches are especially valuable in regions with limited infrastructure, where up to 40 percent of food can be lost between harvest and consumption.

Hand in Hand: The Power of "AND"

The plastics industry is therefore part of the solution, which brings me to the “Hand in Hand” theme of World Food Day. This isn't about choosing between high-tech OR traditional approaches, developed OR developing regions, immediate needs OR long-term sustainability. It's about embracing the power of "AND" – recognizing that we need all solutions working in concert.

In the spirit of “AND,” Covestro employees are not only developing innovative product solutions – they are also helping to fight food insecurity around the world. In the Americas region, for example, my company launched the “10 for 10” initiative: for every volunteer hour logged by employees this year, Covestro is donating ten meals to those facing hunger through non-profit organizations.

On this World Food Day, while we commemorate the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s 80th birthday, I invite all of us to consider how we can contribute to more sustainable food systems. By working together, embracing the power of "AND" rather than "OR" we can indeed create better, more sustainable foods and a better future for generations to come.

High-quality plastics are the material for the 21^st century, as becomes clear to me once again while strolling through the exhibition halls in Düsseldorf, Germany. And certainly to many other visitors as well. Over 3,000 exhibitors from 66 countries, including Covestro, make it tangible here how this material improves our lives at every turn, making it more sustainable and smarter, more comfortable and safer. And how it repeatedly helps bring forth new things. No wonder that global plastic production continues to increase: In 2024, it recorded a plus of four percent, more than the global gross domestic product.

Implementing technologies more consistently

This reinforces my optimism, which prevails even in tense times like these: There's no shortage of good ideas and technological solutions – they simply need more consistent implementation.

So there is a lot of confidence at the "K". But not only that. As CEO of a global corporation rooted in Germany, I am simultaneously driven by deep concerns, like many other business leaders. Because it is precisely in Germany – the long-standing host of this trade fair for over 70 years – as well as throughout Europe, that the plastics industry is under severe pressure. More than that – the sector, which employs 1.5 million people in 50,000 companies, is now literally standing at the precipice.

Economic situation alarming

Double-digit revenue decline, further shrinking market shares: The situation report that the industry association Plastics Europe presented a few days ago is alarming. Today, only twelve percent of all plastics come from Europe – almost 20 years ago it was still 22 percent. At the same time, China in particular has risen, producing almost three times as much plastic as the entire EU.

This clearly shows that it is primarily the regulatory environment that is slowing the sector in Europe and specifically in Germany – particularly higher energy costs, stricter regulatory requirements, and greater bureaucratic burden.

The good news: The federal government in Berlin has recognized this and wants to establish a "Chemistry Agenda 2045". I hope the year doesn't mark just the start date. Because the time to act is now – the sooner, the better. Which structural reforms specifically need to be tackled has been unambiguously formulated by "my" industry. And we also harbor very clear expectations toward the Commission in Brussels that brook no delay.

Special recipe for success

The EU and Germany as the largest member state need a strong plastics industry. And at its core, it is indeed that – vital and highly innovative. It consistently produces tailor-made solutions for countless other sectors and the challenges of modern life. The recipe for success, which is particularly pronounced at Covestro: a unique combination of materials science, process engineering, and application development.

We call this "The Material Effect". This means: knowing exactly how to change the smallest things in chemistry's building blocks to design plastics with specific properties. This means producing them as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible, with processes that are becoming increasingly sophisticated. And this requires really knowing your way around many industries – to meet today's needs and see tomorrow's trends. Artificial intelligence and quantum computing help us with all three facets.

At K2025, we show the Material Effect in action. How it makes an impact in electronics, health, sports and leisure. Or in mobility, where Covestro materials are now being used in the prototype of a bus for public transportation. The shuttle is not only electric but also travels driverless – thanks in part to the high-performance plastic polycarbonate, which integrates assistance systems and sensors.

Building a circular plastic system

The fact that this material can be excellently recycled is another plus – and brings me to another point: Europe's plastics industry urgently needs to be able to realize its ambitious sustainability goals. We have the chance to build the world's first circular plastic system on the continent. That would be a great signal and could provide strong growth impulses.

But this too requires swift improvements in political and regulatory frameworks – such as the determined promotion of chemical recycling, which is currently stagnating in the European Union. And overall, it's unfortunately the case at the moment that the EU has lost its former leading position in circular plastics to Asia. Here too, China is far ahead, with almost twice the amount produced in 2024 than in Europe.

The next "K" takes place in three years. I very much hope that by then the necessary reforms will have taken effect and the industry in Europe can present better figures. But I'm certain of one thing: that in 2028 I'll once again be able to marvel at innovations from the world of plastics.

Yet access to quality care remains limited for many. This is partly because insurance providers and self-paying patients face ever-increasing financial burdens. In OECD countries, for example, healthcare costs are projected to surge dramatically – from an average of seven percent of GDP in 2000 to twelve percent by 2040.

A further challenge emerges: As healthcare utilization increases, so does its environmental impact. The healthcare sector already generates more than four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while hospitals worldwide produce an average of 20 kilograms of waste per patient daily.

The Core Healthcare Challenge

Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, health economists, and others working in healthcare tackle these individual problems every day. But behind them lies a more fundamental challenge: How can we reconcile these individually essential yet seemingly conflicting requirements? Is it truly possible to provide widespread access to high-quality care that is also cost-efficient and sustainable?

The World Health Summit 2025 in Berlin addresses these pressing questions. Here, high-ranking representatives from governments, international organizations, research and healthcare institutions, companies, alliances, and initiatives from around the world bring their collective expertise together.

Innovative Materials as Solutions

The good news: We don’t have to accept these problems as insurmountable. Innovative materials – such as those developed by Covestro – offer ways to improve all dimensions simultaneously.

Take accessibility: Medical products made from high-performance plastics are often particularly lightweight, providing logistical advantages and facilitating care delivery even in remote regions. Additionally, plastics for healthcare applications can be manufactured quickly and in large quantities – for example, during vaccination campaigns or pandemics. They also play a crucial role in the growing telemedicine market.

High-quality plastics also offer advantages in terms of cost efficiency: They enable mass production of medical devices, packaging, and disposable items at relatively low costs.

To ensure high quality in healthcare, innovative applications are essential. For example, medical plastics for precise diagnostic equipment or organ-like prosthetics. And 3D printing with plastics allows for customized solutions such as dental implants and orthoses – which is important for the trend toward personalized medicine.

High-performance materials like plastics also play a role in another development: the changing understanding of health. Here, they serve to manufacture increasingly popular wearables that enable proactive health management and wellness monitoring in everyday life – a paradigm shift from mere disease treatment to proactive health promotion.

To promote sustainability, intensive work is being done to produce plastics using non-fossil raw materials, which improves their ecological footprint. Additionally, they are increasingly being designed to be more easily reprocessed or recycled. And their typically low weight helps reduce material consumption and thus environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle of medical products.

Holistic Thinking Instead of Either-Or

Thanks to material innovations, trade-off thinking is becoming obsolete in healthcare. Rather than choosing between accessibility, cost-efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability, we can pursue all these goals simultaneously through intelligent material solutions.

What we need is a holistic approach that considers the entire lifecycle of materials and products. The Health Summit, with its focus on "Taking Responsibility for Health in a Fragmenting World," provides the ideal platform to introduce this perspective into the global healthcare discussion.

The future belongs not to those who think in opposites, but to those who understand and utilize the complex interplay of all factors. Only by embracing this integrated approach can we create a healthcare system that truly serves both people and the planet.

This conflict isn’t new, but it’s becoming more intense and consequential. Energy security is increasingly fragile due to rising geopolitical tensions: Attacks on power grids and pipelines are on the rise, and regional dependencies are becoming more apparent.

Growing Imbalances

Energy poverty also remains a global issue: In 2024, around 750 million people – mostly in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America – still lacked access to electricity. Meanwhile, affordability is becoming a major concern in Europe, where energy prices are significantly higher than in other regions. This threatens key industries like chemicals and steel and has sparked calls to rethink the direction of the energy transition.

Sustainability shows the starkest contrasts between the U.S. and China. While the U.S. is relying more heavily on fossil fuels like oil and gas, China is the global forerunner in renewable energy – even as it continues to build new coal-fired power plants.

As a result, CO₂ emissions from energy are steadily increasing worldwide. And the effects of climate change are becoming more visible: 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, bringing a wave of natural disasters.

Global Conference

How – or whether – these growing disparities in the energy system can be addressed was the focus of the “World Energy Week” in Panama. The annual conference, hosted in a different country each year, brought together representatives from over 100 nations for strategic dialogue and practical solutions in the energy sector.

And that’s exactly where the global community should focus: on the many technologies and ideas that can make energy cleaner, smarter, more affordable, and more secure. Innovation must be the trump card – especially since it often comes with clear economic benefits. According to industry organization IRENA, renewable energy could create between 30 and 38 million jobs worldwide by 2030.

Advanced technologies require advanced materials – such as high-performance plastics. They are key players in the energy transition, addressing all three aspects of the energy trilemma.

Take security of supply: Plastics form the backbone of modern infrastructure. Their light weight and durability make them ideal for components in power grids, wind turbines, solar panels, and battery systems. They also support decentralized solutions: in regions with unstable energy access, modular solar systems and mobile storage units made of plastic can provide local energy. Covestro, for example, has developed a new composite material for solar panel frames that can replace traditional aluminum. The benefits include better corrosion resistance and a lower carbon footprint during production.

Multiple Benefits

But plastics don’t just boost energy security – they also help make energy more affordable and equitable. They reduce production costs for solar lamps and water pumps, for example. Plastic tanks and pipes also make it easier to distribute biogas, hydrogen, or heat, especially in remote areas.

Another reason to favor plastics in energy solutions is their twofold environmental benefit. On the one hand, they’re increasingly produced using non-fossil raw materials and powered by renewable energy.

On the other hand, plastics help make energy- and climate-intensive sectors more sustainable. Countless buildings are better insulated with plastic panels, reducing the need for heating and cooling. In transportation, lightweight plastic components cut fuel use and emissions, while supporting the shift to electric vehicles.

Covestro is convinced that materials science – and plastics in particular – will play a vital role in bringing the three goals of the energy trilemma back into better balance.

The answer starts earlier than we think: in the classroom. With teachers who are at the forefront of the innovation chain. Ideally, they should create space for “future skills”, such as problem solving, adaptability, interdisciplinary work and empathy, as well as scientific and digital understanding. It is no surprise that the United Nations honors the important role of teachers every year on October 5 with the World Teachers' Day.

Rethinking teaching 

The theme for this year's day of action is “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession”. This is exactly the right approach. Because the major challenges of our time – from climate protection and the circular economy to digitalization – can only be solved by working together: in an interdisciplinary, global, and team-oriented manner.

To prevent ideas from disappearing into drawers, we need people who want to learn more, get to the bottom of things, and think ahead together. These skills cannot be developed through curricula alone. They develop through projects, exchange, and taking responsibility for one another. This is exactly what students should learn today, because they will need it in tomorrow's world.

In reality, however, this is often difficult to implement. Time constraints, limited resources, and bureaucratic requirements often limit what teachers can do, especially when it comes to preparing young people for a complex and constantly changing world. This makes recognizing and actively supporting the work of teachers all the more important. After all, they impart much more than just knowledge. They empower young people to think beyond the boundaries of their subject areas, take responsibility, and develop alongside others. 

This is important and it is becoming increasingly significant – not only in schools, but also in companies. The collaborative learning culture that emerges in the classroom today will form the basis for cooperation in international project teams tomorrow.

Covestro supports school learning

If we want to actively shape our future, it starts much earlier than college or a career. That is why Covestro supports projects in schools – in Germany for example the research competition “Zukunft braucht Wahrheit” (The Future Needs Truth) with the Handelsblatt Media Group, the Covestro Inhouse Days, and the “lev_creation lab” in Leverkusen, where school learning and business practices come together. All these initiatives are guided by clear principles: Without education, there can be no innovation; without teachers, there can be no “future skills”.

On World Teachers' Day, we would therefore like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all teachers who inspire as well as teach, who enable young people to take responsibility. Their work lays the foundation for what we will shape together tomorrow.

Question 1: Dear Pascal, dear Tobias: Imagio^® is now integrated into Autodesk VRED and thus available very early in the automotive design process. How did this come about? 

Tobias: "The idea came quite naturally – we saw how designers were working more and more digitally, but still had to request physical samples. This costs time, money, and doesn't match the increasingly faster pace of automotive development. Material manufacturers like us, on the other hand, have been dealing with the topic of digital material twins for a long time. At Covestro, we started with this in 2019 and have already digitized our polycarbonate materials with Imagio^® in a photorealistic way. It was clear to us: These belong directly where design decisions are made – in the major design software platforms themselves." 

Pascal: "The AxF format for measured materials, which is provided in Imagio^®, has been available in Autodesk VRED for some time. However, Covestro's support, especially from Tobias, was crucial for implementing the translucent AxF materials in Autodesk VRED 2026. The devil is often in the details, and only through collaboration with a material expert could we ensure that all material properties are correctly reproduced in the rendering. When we learned that Covestro provides a huge library of photorealistic and measured material twins with Imagio^®, it was immediately clear to us that we needed to make these accessible to our shared customers in a direct and simple way. Access to the Imagio^® library directly from Autodesk VRED allows designers, for example, to immediately see how surfaces would look in a car interior without having to download individual files in a time-consuming process."

Question 2: What were the biggest technical challenges during the integration? 

Pascal: "The AxF material model provided by Imagio^® is quite complex, and until now, not all features were supported in Autodesk VRED. So the challenge was first to complete the material model. The implementation of the Imagio^® library via a so-called webshop in Autodesk VRED was quite smooth, as the technology required for this was already available in Autodesk VRED, and Imagio^®'s operating concept fits seamlessly into our concept." 

Tobias: "That's right, Pascal – and from our side, it was crucial that we prepare our complete polycarbonate portfolio so that it fits seamlessly into your environment. We had to ensure that a designer using your Autodesk VRED tool could drag and drop our material onto a dashboard and immediately see: 'This is exactly how it would look.' Thanks to the continuous exchange between our teams, we've managed it very well. The positive feedback after just one month speaks for itself."

Question 3: What does this integration mean for the future of automotive design? How might it continue? 

Tobias: "With this integration, we enable designers to discover the versatility of polycarbonate in early development phases in an uncomplicated and accessible way. This fits perfectly with designers' working methods and expectations nowadays. It also accelerates the process: If I can select the most suitable material on screen, I save a lot of time as a designer and avoid previously necessary coordination with material manufacturers, of which we were always just one among many. This also aligns with the increasingly shorter development time for cars, which has been reduced from seven years to now just two years, requiring parallel rather than sequential work. For us as a material manufacturer, it's incredibly valuable to be present so early in the design process - because material decisions are made during the design process. So we need to be present there, and we are." 

Pascal: "Tobias mentioned an important point - the parallelization of development and the speed advantages of such a digital and high-quality offering are crucial. What we're seeing here is just the beginning. Where designers can already see a material like polycarbonate photorealistically in our software and use it for initial optical simulations, in the future we might also be able to add simulations for mechanical properties or model aging processes of a material. Imagine: designers test not only how the material looks 'new,' but also how it might look after ten years of parking in the open air, and can consider this in their decision-making - all digital, all available with just a few clicks. This will fundamentally change the way car manufacturers develop their vehicles." 

The integration is globally available from August 7, 2025 – a step that shows how Covestro is helping shape the future of automotive design.

Concepts are being repurposed, values turned into their opposite. Emotion triumphs over rationality. Views once deemed unacceptable are gradually acquiring the character of the normal and sayable. This shift in discourse is accompanied by hate speech and insults, extending to calls for boycotts and even violence.

This development worries me deeply. An open society is not just the fertile soil for our democracy, but also the tool at our disposal to meet the many challenges of our times. When this stops, it strangles our creativity and with it our science and innovation – that is when societies become dysfunctional.

Tolerating the Intolerants? 

This raises the question of how open this discourse needs to be. How do we deal with the ”paradox of intolerance” formulated by Karl Popper 80 years ago? How do we deal with a society that willingly allows or even helps intolerant forces restrict or abolish its own tolerance?

Can and should limits be placed on freedom of expression – or on what each person individually understands by it? While in some countries it ends where criminal offenses such as insult and incitement to hatred begin, others follow a different legal understanding. Here, acts that might be considered lies or incitement elsewhere are still allowed. Whether that’s helpful for societal cohesion or in dealing with the current and future crises facing us, I’ll leave open for debate.

But the real issue lies elsewhere and goes much deeper. People may be allowed to advocate their own position as radically and dogmatically as they wish, even to the point of defaming all others – even by claiming that one’s own opinion is being suppressed. But one should then grant the same freedom to everyone else. True to the bon mot attributed to Voltaire: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Since the Enlightenment, hard-won progress has been made on tolerance and freedom of expression. Yet the great philosopher would surely be appalled to see the setbacks we are currently experiencing. We are witnessing developments – still relatively mild by international standards – such as in Germany, where the public broadcaster NDR has dismissed TV presenter Julia Ruhs shortly after hiring her specifically to introduce a “conservative’” perspective into the public media system.

Widespread Cancel Culture 

At the same time, cancel culture is happening on a grand scale: orchestrated campaigns and legal offensives aimed at the media landscape itself. Press freedom is in poor shape on global scale; it is now rated as “problematic” in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index for the first time.

To make matters worse, academic freedom has also declined markedly worldwide over the past decade. In 2025, a total of 34 countries registered a statistically significant and substantial drop in academic freedom compared with 2015, according to the respective index.

Opinion, media, research: The foundations of democracy are under dangerous pressure. Yet democratic societies depend on a plurality of voices, perspectives, and spaces for discourse. 

The economy must also see and clearly name this. It too thrives on critical thinking. On diversity and openness, on respect, trust and cooperation as the breeding ground for innovations that secure growth and prosperity.

Companies can and should convey facts, provide orientation, and create room for dialogue. At Covestro, for example, we support the European Youth Parliament, where this year we are sponsoring discussions on the circular economy and the innovation/knowledge society.

Dialogue, participation, and trust – UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently underscored their importance on the International Day of Democracy. Let’s remind ourselves every single day: Democracy and tolerance are never guaranteed. They are a shared project we must shape and protect.

As useful as they are at many individual hotspots, these clean-up events can just be the starting point – a necessary but insufficient response to a complex global challenge. When you physically pick up plastic waste, you quickly understand that you only treat the symptoms. But what really matters is tackling the problem at its roots. 

Systemic failures require coordinated solutions 

So, World Clean Up Day reminds us that local action and global coordination must work in tandem. Each piece of waste collected provides insights into systemic failures that require coordinated solutions. While we clean our local waterways, we must simultaneously push for the policy frameworks, business models, and technological innovations that will make such clean-ups eventually unnecessary.

The statistics paint a shocking picture: Approximately 11 million tons of plastic enter our oceans each year, and only about 9 percent of the plastics produced annually are recycled. 

It is a structural challenge for which a comprehensive transformation to a circular economy is needed. This encompasses every stage – from material selection and product design to use patterns, collection systems, and innovative recycling technologies. Waste management is essential but represents just one piece of this complex puzzle. We need to rethink how products are created, used, and reintegrated into material streams.

At Covestro, we're approaching this challenge through multiple avenues. By using alternative raw materials including plastic waste in our production processes, reducing fossil resource consumption while maintaining the performance of our high-value plastics. 

Through collaborative projects like Circular Foam, we're working on new ways to recycle materials previously considered unrecyclable. And we're working with partners across industry boundaries to redesign products with end-of-life in mind, recognizing that no single company can create circular systems alone.

Supportive framework necessary

However, such initiatives from business, while important, require a supportive global framework to achieve the scale and coordination necessary. That's why the envisaged Global Plastic Pollution Treaty is crucial. Despite recent setbacks, we hope the work resumes soon. Such a framework would help align national policies, drive investment in infrastructure, and create consistent standards across regions.

In this light, I invite you to join a World Clean Up Day event this weekend, but also to look beyond it. Consider how your observations, insights and new ideas could contribute to better solutions across the value chain. How might product design changes prevent the waste you're collecting? What infrastructure is missing in your community? How can businesses, governments, and citizens collaborate more effectively?

Clean-ups are a starting point for awareness and insight – but transforming those insights into coordinated global actions is where real change happens. Let's build the circular economy and global framework needed to ensure that future generations won't need to clean up our mistakes.

This perspective brings to mind the wisdom of design legend Jonathan Ive, who noted that "It's very easy to be different, but very difficult to be better." As we tackle plastic pollution globally, this insight reminds us that our goal isn't simply change for change's sake, but meaningful improvement that benefits society while protecting our environment.

As I am preparing myself to attend the INC-5.2 in Geneva this week, where negotiations for an International Legally Binding Instrument to End Plastic Pollution continue, Mr. Ive’s observation perfectly captures the current challenge. Certain proposals aim to create serious change – banning materials, restricting substances, capping production – but will this lead to a better system? The real challenge is creating measures that lead to products and systems which solve plastic pollution and create better societies without causing more pollution or other sustainability disruptions.

I truly believe product design should be the centerpiece of this global treaty. Why? Because design decisions cascades up- and downstream throughout a product's entire lifecycle and represent our greatest leverage point for creating systemic change. I see how Article 5 on Product Design could establish frameworks to systematically evaluate products in local contexts, determining pollution causes and setting criteria for innovative solutions.

Defining a Positive Future: The Design Challenge

In my experience, good design begins with clearly defining the problem. "Plastic pollution" remains fundamentally undefined in treaty negotiations. As INC5.2 approaches, negotiators might consider focusing on measurable consensus areas like physical emissions and releases of plastic materials throughout their lifecycle, potentially providing immediate focus for collective actions.

During my career I've experienced how good design can take the lead. The key is making the deliberate choice to incorporate recycled content from the outset, which naturally drives market demand for recovered materials – an approach I believe is far more effective than imposing arbitrary production limits. By understanding and translating real user needs, design can create products that remain in use longer, resulting in reduction of waste. Science-based approaches like Plastics Europe's decision tree methodology could enable tailored solutions that respond to specific cultural and socioeconomic contexts, making products inherently more sustainable.

With 2.7 billion people lacking proper waste management, I recognize that infrastructure development is critical. True design thinking extends beyond individual items to entire systems – creating products that work for both consumers and recyclers, making material recovery valuable and efficient. Even advanced recycling facilities cannot process products not designed with end-of-life in mind. Great design balances the performance including sustainability requirements of the whole life cycle.

Product Safety: A Complementary Framework

As we develop design solutions for plastic pollution, safety remains paramount. Products must be both mechanically and chemically safe throughout their lifecycle. Chemical safety deserves attention, but not through the Global Treaty to end plastic pollution. We already have sophisticated frameworks like REACH and TSCA, while the Global Framework for Chemicals works to establish similar systems worldwide.
I see chemical safety and pollution prevention as parallel priorities that strengthen each other. When safety experts focus on their domain while product innovators address circularity, we create a powerful partnership. Both groups work toward the same goal: products that are environmentally sound and safe for consumers. This is about achieving both through specialized expertise working in harmony.

Covestro's Commitment to Innovation

At Covestro, innovation means concrete actions towards circularity. We're committed to investing 600 million Euros into recycling and bio-based alternatives by 2035. Our ambition to become fully circular and carbon neutral, drives everything we do.

Our partnership with Ausell in China exemplifies this approach in action. Together we are recycling polycarbonate from automotive headlights and transforming them into new components, creating a closed loop for this durable material. For Covestro this topic goes beyond recycling – it’s about proving that our high-quality recycled content can meet stringent performance requirements without any compromises.
Initiatives like this demonstrate that environmental stewardship and economic success go hand in hand. Through thoughtful design and strategic partnerships, they become mutually reinforcing forces that drive meaningful change.

What the Treaty Needs to Deliver

As I prepare for Geneva, I envision a Global Plastics Treaty that serves as a catalyst for innovation-driven solutions. It should establish design guidelines that recognize that different applications require different approaches, and it should help create market-based incentives for resource efficiency and circularity. The treaty should support national action plans with common reporting elements, allowing countries to implement solutions appropriate to their circumstances while maintaining global ambition.

Most importantly, it should focus on ending plastic pollution without duplicating existing chemical regulations. Overburdening the treaty with chemical management would dilute its core mission and scatter our collective resources.

INC5.2 represents the opportunity to finalize an agreement that unites stakeholders by focusing on areas where we already find common ground – like product design, waste management infrastructure, and circular economy principles.

In the words of designer William McDonough, "Design is the first signal of human intention." Let's make our intention clear: creating innovative products and systems that enhance lives without polluting the planet. Because offering creative alternatives to pollution will always be more transformative than simply restricting what exists today.

In 2024, August 1st still marked that date when the natural resources that our Earth's ecosystem can produce within a year are statistically exhausted. In other words: Humanity now requires 1.8 Earths for its lifestyle. Yet even the one beautiful Earth available to us is already bleeding out. And another number concerns me. The extraction and processing of material resources are responsible for over 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, not to mention the impacts on biodiversity and the environment.

Sustainability looks different. We conduct business, produce, and consume as if the Paris Climate Agreement – adopted with great fervor ten years ago – and other agreements to preserve our life foundations didn't exist. Instead of fewer coal power plants, more and more are being built around the globe. Global oil consumption continues to increase. And strategic raw materials like the rare earths coveted for electric mobility, energy transition, or electronic devices are facing a veritable demand boom.

Unchecked Resource Consumption

Overall, the UN Environment Program expects that by 2050, global consumption of natural resources will surge by another 60 percent compared to 2020. This goes hand in hand with an enormous increase in waste volume. Plastic waste alone is likely to nearly triple within four decades by 2060.

For me, this means: We must urgently steer consumption, production, and value creation toward more sustainable paths. A major lever is humanity's enormous energy consumption, which is expected to rise by another half by mid-century. Through efficiency gains and the transition to renewable sources, this development must be brought somewhat into alignment with environmental consequences.

The other lever is the circular economy. Reusing and recycling goods as much as possible is the royal road to resource conservation. But at the moment, the world has shifted into reverse gear here: The global circularity rate has dropped to just 6.9 percent – a decline of over two points compared to 2015. Yet good new technologies like chemical recycling and mass balance procedures are ready and available.

Chemical recycling – breaking down waste into its molecules and reassembling them – is absolutely needed as a complement to conventional mechanical recycling. Here, old products like plastics are shredded and melted, creating new material. However, this process is not suitable for many types of plastic.

Mass balancing, in turn, comes into play with mixtures of fossil and alternative raw materials such as recyclates or biomass. This method allows the proportion of sustainable raw materials to be allocated mathematically. The chemical and plastics industry in particular has high expectations for this approach as well.

What has been missing so far is primarily political momentum. We finally need solid legal foundations. So that industry can apply chemical recycling and mass balancing with legal certainty. So that clear standards are developed and certification systems come to market. And so that these forward-looking approaches reach consumers' minds.

First Steps in Brussels

At least the EU Commission seems to have recognized the signs of the times. In its recently presented action plan for chemistry, it at least acknowledges that chemical recycling can make an important contribution to reducing the EU's dependence on fossil raw materials for plastic production and upgrading old products.

And a first concrete step is already following: In the directive on single-use plastic products, which is currently being revised, Brussels wants to allow chemical recycling and mass balancing. A corresponding proposal for calculating the recycling content in single-use plastic beverage bottles is currently on the table.

But unfortunately, progress is only happening in baby steps: Act by act is being laboriously addressed individually. At least there is the prospect that the important Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products – which applies to almost all physical goods – will also be expanded to include chemical recycling and mass balancing.

In any case, all levers should now be pulled quickly to boost recycling and move the circular economy forward again. So that Earth Overshoot Day will hopefully soon shift backward again.

What motivated you to get involved in the “Sonnenwagen” project?

Guido Naberfeld (Covestro):
“The “Sonnenwagen” team impresses us time and again – with pioneering spirit, technical skill, and a clear vision for the mobility of tomorrow. For us, the project is much more than sponsorship: it’s a platform for collaborative development along the value chain. We contribute materials and expertise – and in return, we gain new perspectives and valuable insights. At the same time, our solutions must prove themselves under extreme conditions. That makes the “Sonnenwagen” a true benchmark for sustainable innovation.”

Sjoerd Dijkstra (Henkel):
“We’ve previously supported teams in the World Solar Challenge through our colleagues in Australia. So we know the pioneering spirit and forward-thinking engineering with which the “Sonnenwagen” team designs its solar race car – and that there’s a strong overlap between the team’s ideas and Henkel’s. Through our partnership, we want to support young talent and, of course, highlight the performance and sustainability of our solutions in demanding applications across key industrial sectors. We see the project as an ideal innovation platform for forward-looking adhesive technologies.”

Where exactly are your technologies used in the “Sonnenwagen”?

Guido Naberfeld:
“Our materials are used throughout the vehicle – this time, over ten products, more than ever before. For example, the driver’s seat is made from chemically recycled polyurethane foam – a material originally sourced from old car seats. We also use recycled material (mass-balanced) in the battery housing: elastomers that reliably dampen vibrations. The cockpit canopy and headlight covers are made from highly impact-resistant polycarbonate – lightweight, durable, and UV-resistant. There’s also thermally conductive polycarbonate in the battery cell holders, a sustainable coating that cures without energy-intensive processes, and several other applications.”

Sjoerd Dijkstra:
“For the current generation of the race car, we primarily supplied our proven Loctite and Teroson solutions. These products are used in the automotive industry and in various other industrial applications. They include structural adhesives, specialty adhesives for components like the motor, threadlockers, adhesive tapes, and hybrid adhesives for different mechanical parts. In the future, we also see great potential for using more advanced adhesive technologies. A key focus will be on products made from bio-based or recycled raw materials – an area where we’ve been working closely with Covestro, one of our most important global suppliers, for years. Our involvement essentially closes the loop – driving sustainability and performance forward together along the value chain.”

Why is collaboration along the value chain so crucial for sustainable mobility?

Guido Naberfeld:
“The direction is clear: the vehicles of the future must be lighter, more efficient, and circular. The planned EU End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation makes this visible on a regulatory level: in the future, 25% of plastics used in new vehicles must come from recycled materials – a quarter of that from end-of-life vehicles. Such goals can only be achieved together – through close collaboration among all partners along the entire value chain. When industry, academia, and other partners join forces, solutions emerge that can truly make a difference – for the market and the climate. That's the great thing about the “Sonnenwagen”: it also showcases this kind of collaboration. The fact that Henkel and we – and of course many other partners – are part of this project speaks for itself. And we’re already demonstrating the positive impact of such partnerships elsewhere: in the construction sector, Henkel uses our mass-balanced bio-based raw materials to develop more sustainable adhesive solutions for wooden components used in large buildings. That’s the spirit that will make the circular economy a reality in the mobility sector – and beyond!”

Sjoerd Dijkstra:
“Sustainability is the key performance criterion in the field of future mobility. This applies not only to the automotive industry but also to sectors like aviation and rail transport. The challenges in technological areas such as e-mobility and regulatory issues like reparability or recyclability are so significant that solutions can only be found through holistic collaboration between companies along the value chain. With our adhesives business, we operate at the interface between the chemical industry and application. We therefore work closely with both suppliers and manufacturers. That’s why we understand very well that sustainable designs can only be enabled through the combination of diverse expertise and the necessary transparency. The “Sonnenwagen” is an ideal model project for industrial cooperation. The experiences and insights we gain here, we aim to transfer into series vehicle production.
If students can build such incredibly innovative and performing cars, we as an industry should be inspired to also solve the sustainability challenges ahead.”

Our world is becoming increasingly complex and fragile. Climate change, digitalization, attacks on democracy – all of these issues demand new solutions. Expanding our existing knowledge is no longer enough. And it is certainly not enough to fall back on simple answers. We must also learn to constantly reorient our thinking. In doing so, we must learn to deal with ambiguities and contradictions – the keyword here is tolerance for ambiguity.

Between Speed and Orientation

Young people, in particular, seem to navigate digital spaces with ease. They are quick, connected, and creative. However, they are under a lot of pressure because the world they live in is constantly changing. It's not easy to find your bearings. This makes it all the more important to provide them not only with tools, but also with spaces where they can develop their strengths. They need spaces for self-reflection, for an inner compass – for the things that cannot be googled.

When Learning shapes Attitudes

Transformative Learning creates precisely such spaces. It does not demand quick answers, but rather asks the right questions: Why do we do it this way? What if it didn't exist yet – how would we design it? This kind of learning is uncomfortable but valuable. It fosters not only knowledge, but also attitude.

And that is exactly what we need to remain fit for the future. This is true for social progress as well as for technological innovations, such as those taking place in my sector, the chemical and plastics industry. And this change does not begin with technology, but with a shift in thinking.

The example of Tim Wirtz, 26, who works in Covestro's HR team, shows how effective this can be. Inspired by discussions with his team leader, he developed an automated solution for matching in the internal mentoring program – a process that previously required time-consuming manual work to find the best fits between mentors and mentees. With the help of AI and his own initiative, he created a new system that now saves around 95 percent of the previous working time. This change was based not only on technical know-how, but on one thing above all else: Tim Wirtz was given enough space for dialogue, creativity, and reflection.

Covestro also creates this space outside the company. For example, with the Germany-wide research competition “Zukunft braucht Wahrheit” in which our company called on students to develop ideas on socio-political challenges. Or through our support of the European Youth Parliament, where we promote democratic discourse and solution-oriented cooperation.

Trust instead of Rules

When I think of World Youth Skills Day, I don't see it as a day of action. Rather as an invitation to rethink learning – not as a duty, but as a shared opportunity. Sometimes, we need fewer rules and more trust. Less planning, more listening. And the courage not just to guide young people, but also to let them surprise us. That is often where the impetus for change lies.

Here, resilience doesn’t mean preserving the status quo. In our multipolar world, marked by growing instability, uncertainty, and aggression, we must focus on ongoing development – across all levels. Even when solutions are elusive. Even when the process becomes difficult or uncomfortable.

Challenges aren’t confined to just one domain –they ripple across politics, society, and industry. Politicians face discomfort for example when NATO had to decide to increase defense budgets. Socially, things can become uncomfortable when – as in Germany's debate about reintroducing military service – many face the question of whether they're willing to defend their country by force.

Industry, too, must confront discomfort. To be truly resilient, companies need backup plans – from securing diverse raw material sources to finding safer logistics routes, building new markets, ensuring cyber resilience, and reducing dependency on single partners. This isn’t just about agility – it also means rising costs and a shift in how we define business success.

Resilience Requires Collaboration

An often-uncomfortable truth: Resilience isn’t something one actor can achieve alone. Security, stability, and autonomy depend on collective action. Siloed thinking and isolated strategies won’t cut it. Industry must advocate for a functioning political system, strong social cohesion, scientific freedom, and a healthy environment. Conversely, political and social progress is only possible with a robust industrial backbone.

This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. We need a holistic understanding of resilience and security – one that includes defense capabilities, crisis preparedness, and societal transformation. We must understand resilience as an overall societal project. That means aligning economic and industrial policies around strategic, long-term goals: enhancing infrastructure, safeguarding supply chains, and fostering sectors essential to resilience. Politics must set the right conditions – without smothering innovation through micromanagement or overregulation.

Chemistry: The Invisible Infrastructure

This applies to all key areas that must be available, especially in times of crisis and conflict: from food to medicine to IT and energy. And behind them all is one often-overlooked force: the chemical and plastics industries. They are the foundation that enables everything else to function.

Consider food security. In crisis scenarios, plastic packaging becomes a lifeline. Easy to produce in large volumes, it protects food from contaminants, moisture, oxygen, and light – extending shelf life and ensuring supply.

In the energy sector, autonomy is becoming a strategic asset. Renewable sources are ideal, and technologies like wind turbines, solar panels, and battery storage all depend on plastics. These materials increase energy output while lowering production costs.

Defense? It too depends on high-performance plastics – in vehicles, aircraft, communications systems, and protective gear. These materials make military equipment lighter, stronger, more adaptable, and in many cases, more sustainable.

System Change Starts With Circular Thinking

However, resilience isn’t built by patching cracks – it demands systemic transformation. A shift to a circular economy isn’t just environmentally responsible; it’s economically and geopolitically strategic.

By closing material loops and recycling resources, we reduce dependency on volatile supply chains and price swings. Instead of relying on fossil-based inputs from unstable regions, circular systems favor regional materials like biomass, carbon dioxide, and waste.

The chemical industry – and Covestro in particular – are already pushing this transformation: embracing renewable raw materials, promoting clean energy, pioneering next-gen recycling tech, and forging global partnerships that benefit all involved. We need to scale up the transformation that the chemical industry is driving. That means fundamentally rethinking our systems. Even when it’s uncomfortable.

But let's start on a positive note: This year could mark the most significant advancement in chemicals management for quite some time. We're seeing revisions to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions aimed at protecting human health and the environment from harmful chemicals and waste. Additionally, nations are in the final stages of negotiating "an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution [...] based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic," as stated in a groundbreaking UN Environment Assembly resolution from three years ago. In essence, the world is moving toward a "Global Plastic Treaty" – urgently needed given the millions of tons of plastic waste entering our environment each year.

Negotiations must not be overloaded

However, this treaty risks becoming overloaded, attempting to address "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (to borrow the title of a popular film). When I see efforts to combine waste management with production reductions and chemicals regulation – not to mention financing and resource allocation – I seriously doubt whether the negotiations resuming this August in Geneva, Switzerland are on a promising path.

Yet there remains hope for effective chemicals management through another significant instrument: the Global Framework on Chemicals, established under the UN Environment Programme in 2023. This initiative unites governments, businesses, NGOs, and scientists to develop regulatory systems in each country that ensure the safe lifecycle of chemicals, particularly their use in materials and products such as plastics.

The problem is that the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations are targeting similar objectives. This creates redundancy, and in my view, when it comes to regulating chemicals, the Global Framework should take precedence. I sincerely hope that the first round of concrete discussions on implementing this framework, beginning this week in Punta del Este, Uruguay, will be successful.

The meeting focusses on establishing essential prerequisites for incorporating the framework's objectives into national legislation. This requires coordination on fundamentals – criteria, methods, and data – all founded on sound science and robust risk management. What's also needed is an open exchange about effective practices and impactful measures.

The chemical industry is prepared to fulfill its responsibilities and contribute meaningfully. The sector has offered to provide access to product safety and sustainability data and to enhance product portfolios with sustainable solutions. It has also committed to supporting thirty countries in implementing effective chemical management systems. While thirty national systems might not sound ambitious, given the complexity and resource requirements, these commitments represent concrete progress and aim to establish best practices.

Intelligently coordinate different initiatives

The path forward lies in intelligently coordinating these initiatives – or to return to the juggling metaphor: placing the balls in the right baskets after the show so they're ready for their next use. Recognizing the complementary nature of the Global Framework on Chemicals and the Global Plastics Treaty would be an important first step toward implementing effective chemicals management, particularly regarding their use in plastics.

As experts and negotiators engage in discussions in Uruguay and later in Switzerland, I hope the prevailing attitude will be one of pragmatism and action. The ultimate measure of success isn't crafting a perfect treaty – it's implementing effective chemical management that ensures the safe use of plastics while building the foundation for a circular economy and a world free from plastic pollution.

Copyright of header image: ©covestro

The consequences are serious. Hate speech and exclusion harm not only direct victims but also society as a whole. When divisions deepen and barriers rise, the very fabric of our communities begins to unravel.

Where openness, empathy, solidarity, and constructive dialogue disappear, so does the foundation for innovation and progress. When people are not free to be themselves, stagnation sets in – ultimately leading to regression. If ethical arguments fail to reach the architects of toxic rhetoric, perhaps practical reasoning will: Polarization and zero-sum thinking leave only losers in their wake.

Awareness against hate speech needs to be strengthened. That’s the message of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech on June 18. The United Nations primarily focuses on education as a means for change. In addition, legislative action – such as measures within the EU – can make a difference. Earlier this year, the European Commission for example revised its Code of Conduct for combating illegal hate speech online, leading major platforms like Facebook, YouTube, X, and TikTok to commit to stronger actions against harmful content.

Companies Can Be Particularly Effective

However, regulation alone is not enough. A broad societal movement is needed – and businesses, with their millions of employees, play a decisive role. Companies are uniquely positioned because they offer significant reach. While society outside is becoming increasingly fragmented – with individuals in social bubbles often only hearing echoes of their existing beliefs – offices, laboratories, and workplaces can unite diverse groups.

Hence, messages spread more effectively within companies. Value systems and codes of conduct can help raise awareness against intolerance, discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes. Employees, in turn, can carry these convictions forward –to customers and partners, their families and neighborhoods, daycare centers and schools, while shopping, or in sports clubs.

For example, Covestro – a multinational company with employees from over 80 nations – has a clear guiding principle: "We treat each other fairly and with respect." And the company expresses its unity through the motto "We are 1."

Values Must Be Lived

However, values and codes of conduct must be actively promoted and upheld. A global study by consulting firm LRN from May 2025 highlights that ethics and compliance programs still have major gaps. Companies must do more to integrate ethical behavior into daily decision-making.

A "speak-up" culture, for instance, must be more than just words on paper. Employees should also feel safe reporting misconduct without fear of retaliation. Only then can ethical principles become ingrained in a corporate culture that embraces social responsibility.

Employees and companies can be powerful allies against hate and division for another reason: They experience day by day that solidarity leads to greater success than exclusion. Diversity and pluralism broaden perspectives and fuel creativity. Those who witness how meaningful products and innovative ideas emerge through collaboration and their personal effort gain a sense of purpose, self-efficacy, and fulfillment. And they have no need to tear others down.

I especially enjoy traveling within Europe, for a very practical reason: It’s usually wonderfully uncomplicated. No long border checks, no tedious customs procedures – this has been, at least until now, a privilege for over 400 million people and countless businesses in 29 European countries.

We owe this to a bold step taken 40 years ago: the first of several Schengen Agreements, signed on June 14, 1985, in the small Moselle town with the same name by politicians from Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It came into force ten years later.

Free movement of people, goods, and services has since become a cornerstone of a united Europe, further developed through the European Single Market and the Eurozone.

Undermining the Idea of Unity

This vision is currently under serious threat – from within, through national self-interest, erosion of the rule of law, and restrictions on freedom of speech and the press; and from outside, through provocations, propaganda, and migration pressure. Reintroduced and repeatedly extended border controls – originally intended as temporary and a last resort – now risk undermining the Schengen idea. They could, in fact, destabilize the entire European integration project, with unforeseeable consequences for member states, as well as millions of people and many countries beyond.

What we need now is not less, but more Europe. An open-minded, diverse, and tolerant continent – especially in terms of a strong economy and industry. While other parts of the world are erecting tariff walls or dumping goods at rock-bottom prices, we must expand intra-European trade.

The Single Market is a clear success: it has increased the EU’s GDP by at least three to four percent and created 3.6 million jobs. According to the European Commission, completing the Single Market could even double these gains.

Strengthening the Single Market

It’s encouraging that the Commission has now presented a strategy to simplify, harmonize, and strengthen the market. The focus on the “terrible ten” – the most serious obstacles to the free movement of goods and services that must be urgently removed – signals a new pragmatism and sense of urgency in Brussels.

This is also evident in how “my” industry, the European chemical sector, is being addressed. It ranks second globally and, with over 650 billion euros in revenue, around 10 billion euros in research investment, and 1.2 million employees, is a key driver of value creation and prosperity.

However, the sector has long been losing international competitiveness – ironically, due in large part to everyday realities within the European framework. Excessive regulation with sometimes contradictory rules, lengthy procedures, and excessively high energy costs are holding us back. Now, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to present a special action plan for the chemical industry with structural reforms – this gives reason for hope.

But we must not place all the blame on Brussels. The Single Market, the Schengen Agreement, the entire EU – they are built on solidarity and can only thrive on a sense of community. We must not let that spirit fade further. Every member state, every citizen, and the business community must contribute – to complete our common European house: smart, resilient, and open.

The situation in the Gaza Strip and other humanitarian disasters show us almost daily: Hunger affects more than 700 million people today. What’s less well known, but no less dramatic is the fact that another 600 million people fall ill from over 200 kinds of foodborne diseases every year, from diarrhea to cancer. Unsafe food doesn’t just make you sick – it also undermines livelihoods and impedes socioeconomic development. This is what World Food Safety Day on June 7 makes us aware of.

What are the solutions to solve it? Perhaps it is quite close to Andy Weir’s protagonist Mark Watney in the science-fiction novel “The Martian” as he is looking for solutions to grow food and survive on Mars: 'So, in the face of overwhelming odds, I'm left with only one option: “I’m gonna have to science the s**t out of this.”

Science makes everyday life possible

For me as a Sci-Fi fan a true uplifting book, and in line with his year’s theme “Food Safety: Science in Action”. It reminds us that science – in the food sector as well as everywhere else – is not just something that happens in labs or policy rooms. It’s something we live, apply, and rely on every day – especially when it comes to the food we eat. Without science, we wouldn’t have the confidence to trade food across borders, store it safely, or feed growing populations.

International organizations like FAO and WHO play a critical role here – in evaluating food additives, pesticide residues, or microbiological risks. Their work forms the backbone of international food safety standards.

However, the multitude of challenges and crises and the urgent need for action must not tempt us to disregard thoroughness and conscientiousness. We must be careful not to let urgency become an excuse for recklessness in science. Research and innovation are essential—but they must always be methodical, evidence-based, and reliable. Otherwise, we might run the risk to solve one problem by creating another.

As someone working in the chemical industry for more than two decades, I see this firsthand. To give an example: At Covestro, we use bisphenol A (BPA) to produce polycarbonate, a highly robust and transparent plastic also used for food-safe applications like durable and reusable 5-gallon water barrels and transparent kitchen containers. They help preserving food quality, preventing contamination, and ensuring access to clean water and safe food—especially in regions where infrastructure is limited.

Safety is about managing risks

And yet, ingredients like BPA often face public skepticism. This is an expression of widespread chemophobia – the fear of chemicals – which leads many people to call for bans on products. But safety is not about eliminating materials, it’s about managing their exposure and risk. It’s about understanding what the data tells us, how materials and the products made from them are used, how exposure is controlled.

This is where science becomes action.

In my own life, I’ve seen how science shapes everything – from the safe use of chemicals and plastics I’m dealing with in my job, to the food I grow in my garden. It’s in the way I store water, the containers I trust, and the choices I make at the grocery store. It’s in the global standards that guide trade, and the local practices that keep kitchens safe.

So today, I want to celebrate the scientists, engineers, educators, and everyday citizens who put science into action. Whether you’re designing packaging, inspecting food, or simply washing your hands before cooking – you are part of the food safety system.

Because food safety is everyone’s business. And science is what makes it possible – perhaps one day on Mars but for certain here on our beautiful blue planet.

Copyright of all images: ©covestro

Global electric vehicle sales hit new records in all major markets during the first quarter of 2025. Looking at the entire year, sales are expected to exceed the 20 million mark – meaning that already more than a quarter of all vehicles sold are powered by electricity. Primarily driven by China, this trend is likely to intensify. If policy settings remain unchanged, the share of electric cars in overall vehicle sales is expected to rise above 40 percent by 2030.

However, there are significant regional differences as high prices for electric vehicles remain a barrier for many potential buyers. The political response varies: Some countries, like Germany under the new government, want to stimulate demand through direct purchase incentives. Others are increasingly focusing on indirect, structural support, such as expanding charging infrastructure.

This development marks a pivotal point. The dichotomic era, in which electric powertrain alone determined whether a vehicle was regarded as sustainable, is ending. As direct subsidies are gradually phased out, market forces can once again operate more freely. This makes the high acquisition costs of electric vehicles even more significant. Doubts surrounding the market viability of electric mobility are growing.

High-tech plastics make EVs more affordable

The new reality presents several challenges for the industry. No more subsidies means that electric vehicles must especially become more cost-effective and affordable through intelligent material and process innovations. High-tech plastics play a key role: They reduce weight and energy consumption, making driving cheaper.

The upside for manufacturers: Plastics also make production processes more efficient. Solutions that combine multiple functions in a single component, reducing complexity and costs, are particularly promising. Not to mention their tremendous design possibilities.

Still, cost efficiency is just one side of the coin. As the focus shifts beyond powertrains, other sustainability aspects also take center stage. Recyclable and circular materials become essential − not just for environmental reasons, but also for economic ones. Mono-material designs, such as in vehicle interiors or headlights made from a single type of plastic, significantly simplify recycling processes. This eliminates the need for complex sorting and separation of plastics at the end of life.

Lightweight, durable materials also improve the overall footprint throughout use and the entire lifecycle. High-tech plastics, as developed and offered by Covestro, thus become a crucial success factor.

The transition from subsidy-driven to market-driven e-mobility could turn out to be a fortunate opportunity. It forces the industry to combine sustainability with economic viability. The result: innovations that make electric vehicles not just more environmentally friendly but also more affordable. A development that could pave e-mobility's way into the mass market. The next status report will be eagerly anticipated.

Environmental pollution, resource exploitation, climate change – to get this triple crisis under control, the world urgently needs to shift completely to a circular economy and, above all, increase recycling. Yet the opposite is happening. The global circularity rate of used resources keeps declining – currently at just 6.9 percent, according to the Circularity Gap Report 2025. For comparison: in 2023, the rate was 7.2 percent, while in 2018, it was as high as 9.1 percent.

The circular economy is thus trending downward and needs to be pushed much harder than before. However, there are some bright spots. The digital product passport, for instance, set to be introduced in the European Union from 2027. It's like an individual business card made of bits and bytes, containing information about products' origin, composition, sustainability, and environmental impact.

This allows each product to be tracked throughout its entire lifecycle, which could give circularity an enormous boost. The new system will be introduced gradually across different industries in the EU. Batteries will lead the way, with the virtual passport becoming mandatory from 2027.

Data Ecosystem for Chemistry

The chemical industry sees great opportunities here too. As a basic materials industry with high resource consumption and significant greenhouse gas emissions, it not only has the responsibility but also the innovative power to develop new ways in recycling and material circularity.

The industry has already embraced digitalization's potential. Several companies, including Covestro, are working on a standardizable digital product passport for the chemical industry through the Chem-X project. This initiative, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, aims to create an interoperable data ecosystem that enables the exchange of product and recycling information within the industry and horizontally with other consumer industries, including the recycling sector.

This system aims to promote open and transparent communication, supporting both legally mandatory and commercial processes. At its core is the development of open-source data models that serve as the foundation for data exchange and meet the requirements of digital product passports both in Europe and globally.

The industry hopes this will provide significant momentum. After all, the circular economy in chemicals isn't yet where it needs to be. Globally, only nine percent of annually produced plastics are recycled, while 22 percent of plastic waste is improperly disposed of.

Seizing Circular Economy Opportunities

The transition to a circular economy isn't just environmentally crucial – it also offers enormous opportunities. Studies suggest it could notably increase Europe's GDP by 2030 while creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. For the chemical and plastics industry, circularity particularly means new business models and value creation opportunities through innovative recycling technologies and sustainable product solutions.

While the path to a circular economy may be challenging, it's non-negotiable. With innovative digital solutions, the chemical industry has important tools to shape this transition successfully. The time to act is now – so that the next Circularity Gap Report finally shows improvement.

It's therefore appropriate that the economy takes center stage in the coalition agreement. But even though paper is patient, and the step from intention to action is notoriously the hardest, I'm willing to give the coalition government of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the center-left SPD the benefit of the doubt – despite the bumpy start, the back-and-forth and maneuvering beforehand, and their thin majority in parliament. After all, their government program includes many key elements to move Germany forward: promoting innovation, cutting red tape, and reducing energy prices.

Hope Emerges at Chemical Industry Meeting 

These are all objectives that "my" industry, chemicals, has vigorously advocated for. Hence, the mood at our most important industry gathering, the “Handelsblatt Jahrestagung” in Berlin, was more hopeful – or at least less concerned. This was especially true as the Black-Red coalition seems clearly aware of our industry's crucial importance. Chemistry is the invisible helping hand behind many other key sectors, enabling them to become more sustainable, resilient, and digital – something that was once again impressively demonstrated at the Berlin meeting.

Therefore, it can only be in the interest of both Germany and the EU that the coalition partners aim to make the country "the world's most innovative chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology hub" and develop a "Chemistry Agenda 2045." This ambition is already evident in several aspects of their government agenda, such as their commitment to supporting the circular economy and particularly the forward-looking chemical recycling.

Forward-Looking Points in the Coalition Agreement 

The partners also advocate for improving the framework conditions for sourcing strategically important raw materials within the EU, such as sodium chloride (high-purity salt). This too strengthens the chemical industry. Evaporated salt is the most important raw material for safely and cost-effectively producing chlorine and caustic soda – chemicals that are irreplaceable in many essential products of our daily lives, from plastics and medications to pesticides, paints, varnishes, and disinfectants.

Placing such issues in the European context is exactly right. As the EU's largest chemical industry hub by far, Germany can and must play a decisive role in building the community's competitiveness, innovative strength, and strategic sovereignty. All of this requires a strong chemical industry.

This seems to be clearer now in Brussels than before. The fact that Ursula von der Leyen is now engaging directly with companies and has hosted many of my colleagues and me at a chemical industry summit shows that the Commission President is making industrial policy her own top priority. If this approach takes hold in Berlin as well, we're already halfway there.

The EU, whose achievements we celebrate on Europe Day, May 9, is needed not only as a haven of understanding, stability, and predictability. It stands as a prime example of how openness and interconnection drive prosperity. The European single market has grown by eight to nine percent on average over its three decades. In practical terms: Without the EU, GDP per capita would be notably lower across member states – four percent less in France, five percent in Germany, and nearly eight percent in the Netherlands.

Thinking Without Borders

A Europe without borders means much more than the free exchange of goods and services. For me, our community of 27 represents thinking without limitations. It stands for openness to new ideas and experiences, the joy of exchange and discussion, and the freedom of research and teaching. These achievements need protecting, especially when science and established media face mounting challenges elsewhere, along with climate and environmental protection.

This brings me from praising the European Union to addressing how it must evolve – precisely in these areas: sustainability, openness, and innovation. The future belongs to them!

Sustainability: 2024, as the warmest year on record, has starkly reminded us that climate change represents one of humanity's greatest threats – not least economically. If we don't act now, we'll pay a far higher price later. Studies suggest the global economy could suffer income losses of 19 percent by 2050 due to climate change – six times more than the cost of limiting global warming to two degrees.

The EU should therefore develop into a hub for what will become increasingly sought after: green technologies and products. With the Clean Industrial Deal, the EU Commission, after initial over-enthusiasm, is now on the right track – combining climate neutrality goals with increased competitiveness and support for strong industry.

Creating an Industry-Friendly Environment

Strengthening the industrial base is urgently needed. In the chemical sector alone – the EU's fourth-largest industry – over eleven million tons of production capacity had to be discontinued in the past two years, partly due to numerous unfavorable conditions. Yet the chemical and plastics industry is crucial for intelligent sustainability solutions.

This brings me to innovation. Here too, the Commission has recognized the signs of the times, aiming to strengthen research in Europe with another half billion euros and attract international scientists. Hopefully, they will find an intellectual climate where oversimplifying populism, us-versus-them thinking, and susceptibility to autocracy don't continue to spread.

Standing out as a think tank and maintaining course toward sustainability – that's already significant progress. With the right economic policy adjustments – lower energy prices, less bureaucracy and micromanagement, more international partnerships – Europe's industrial future looks promising.

This is precisely where we at Covestro are focusing our efforts. We don't view artificial intelligence as an experimental future concept, but as an essential part of our digital transformation. Our goal is to bring humans and machines together in ways that create new value - for our employees, our customers, and the entire industry.

AI is our key to the future - and we are actively shaping it

For Covestro, implementing AI isn't a question of "if," but "how." It will determine whether companies lead or fall behind in the future. For us, AI isn't a threat, but a catalyst for progress - a technology that dramatically expands what we can do and opens new horizons.

Our vision is seamless collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence. Imagine: The knowledge of our best experts, accessible to the entire workforce anytime. Development times shrinking from months to days or even hours. A new dimension of efficiency and innovative potential - and we're already working today to make this vision reality.

Covestro Virtual Assistant: Our Springboard into the AI Future

A prime example is the Covestro Virtual Assistant. More than just an assistant, it's our gateway to a new way of working. It combines the strengths of common AI applications with customized functions for Covestro while ensuring the highest data security standards.

With the Covestro Virtual Assistant, we provide each employee with a "silicon-based partner" - support that simplifies routine tasks and promotes creative thinking.

From Finance to Production: AI Revolutionizes Our Company

The impacts of AI are already evident at Covestro:

1. Financial Management: Using machine learning, we've revolutionized liquidity management with measurable success. Through improved cash flow forecasts alone, we've saved interest costs of several million euros.
2. Autonomous Production: Since June 2024, one of our 15 production lines in Dormagen has been running completely autonomously in batch process - a milestone toward self-controlling facilities. This frees our employees to focus more on energy efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

Human-AI Collaboration: Our Most Valuable Asset

With all our technological innovation, one thing remains clear: AI isn't a replacement technology for humans, but a technology that creates entirely new spaces for innovation and value creation. It handles repetitive tasks and gives us more room for strategic thinking, creativity, and innovation.

That's why we're specifically investing in education and measures that support transformation, so everyone at Covestro can leverage the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. The greatest value of an intelligent future lies in people who quickly learn to adapt to new technology and help shape the future.

Responsible Use of AI

With great opportunities come great challenges. Responsible artificial intelligence use is non-negotiable for us. We rely on clear ethical guidelines, transparency, and data protection to ensure our technology is used responsibly and fairly.

This means we not only implement AI but actively govern it - with clear governance mechanisms and continuous exchange with our employees.

Looking to the Future: AI as a Growth Driver for Covestro

My task as CIO is to orchestrate human-AI collaboration. We bring the best technologies into our company and integrate them meaningfully - first where they generate the greatest economic value. We implement AI in alignment with our values.

I'm convinced: AI will not only make Covestro more efficient but enable completely new business models. By leading the way in this development, we won't just be part of the transformation - we'll actively shape it.

The journey we're on is exciting. AI will fundamentally transform our company and industry. The symbiosis of human and artificial intelligence opens opportunities we can hardly imagine today.

Let's move forward together - with courage, innovative spirit, and the firm conviction that the future will not only be digital but intelligent.

Copyright of all images: © Fabelzucker

Why is mass balancing so important for Covestro and the industry? 

Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer: If we want to move away from fossil resources and truly become circular, we need a system that works within our existing infrastructure. That’s what mass balancing offers. It allows us to gradually integrate mass balance raw materials, bio-based or recycled materials are integrated in our supply chain production chain — without having to redesign our plants from scratch. Also, it works the same way for products with a reduced carbon footprint, for example so called ‘blue’ products, that benefit from carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Here’s the key point: mass balancing tracks the amount of alternative raw materials used in production and reliably attributes them to final products. So, as materials are consumed during production, we can still account for how much attributed content is included.

This method helps the entire value chain — suppliers, manufacturers, and customers — taking real, measurable steps toward circularity. That’s why we’re pushing for a unified, industry-wide approach. Our new position paper breaks down how mass balancing works and what’s needed to make it the global standard. Plus, it addresses further stakeholder groups who are crucial: policy and decision makers and the general public. We don't just need the technical explanation, but also a general understanding of the topic. That's because we need to inform, explain and guide.

How is this approach already helping Covestro’s business?

Sucheta Govil: We’re already seeing success with our CQ (Circular Intelligence) label. These products represent at least 25 to 90 percent alternative, non-fossil raw materials, either as components or through mass balance methodology. They help customers reduce carbon emissions, utilize waste, and improve their Scope 3 footprint. This creates a strong business case: we’re offering innovative, low-footprint materials that align with our customers’ own sustainability goals, without large investments.

But to scale this further, we need more than just good products. We need a shared understanding of how to measure and communicate these benefits — across industries and regions. That’s why our position paper is so important: it’s about creating clarity, transparency, and trust.

What makes the approach from Covestro to mass balancing credible and trustworthy?

Andreas Binder, Head of Sustainability Transformation & Business Building: Transparency is non-negotiable. We work with globally recognized certifications like ISCC PLUS and regularly undergo independent audits. More importantly, we ensure chemical connectivity — meaning that only the raw materials that actually go through our chemical processes are counted in the product's attributed content.

This isn’t just about tracking numbers — it’s about integrity. Chemical connectivity makes sure we don’t overstate our sustainability claims. When we say a product has attributed alternative raw material content, we can prove it, both scientifically and operationally.

This is why this position paper is necessary for us: to explain the use for various stakeholder groups – those who advocate this from governmental perspective, but also for our customers and partners. Here, the outline is: how can we add value for the entire value chain, because only then we can make money with sustainable solutions. That is by the way what we see many regulators are requesting.

How does this approach create value for customers — and for Covestro?

Mass balancing isn’t just a technical solution — it’s a business enabler. Our customers are under pressure to decarbonize and reduce their environmental footprint. We help them do that with verified, lower-impact materials that perform just like their fossil-based counterparts. This requires neither investments nor technical modifications and with implementing ISCC PLUS procedures they can reliably prove their claims.

We’re also working across the value chain to explain this better. Our goal is to show how mass balancing helps everyone — from policymakers and manufacturers to end consumers — contribute to a more sustainable, a more circular economy. The more clearly we can communicate this, the more impact we can have together.

And would you wish for looking at the next steps?

Sucheta Govil: The way to a circular economy is a marathon, we stated this several times. It is also complex, if we look at making more sustainable products, using more sustainable technologies. We sometimes need to take the time and explain this to our stakeholder groups. This is why we created the position paper: to provide a clear rationale, show the shared benefits, and drive a broader shift. Because when we align across industries, we can move faster — and further — toward a sustainable future. Use it to enhance the dialogue between our customers and us!

Here you can find more information in our position paper.

Copyright of all images: © Covestro

Where do the ideas come from that bring positive progress and change our future? Often from the laboratory. Frequently from long, quiet contemplation. Or through the swarm intelligence of many. And sometimes from an individual's flash of insight, while jogging, having dinner, or in countless other everyday situations.

Yet regardless of their origin, these pivotal moments share a common thread: all transformative changes stem from the desire to approach things differently, to rethink possibilities. This stems from an intrinsic drive, a creative force. World Creativity and Innovation Day on April 21 specifically highlights this connection.

The Corporate Need for Creative Minds

Creativity is increasingly becoming a strategic success factor for companies. It's a key competency that all employees should awaken within themselves. Creative abilities enable people to handle change and to embark on new paths together in an increasingly complex and dynamic work environment.

Creative, unconventional thinking helps actively shape innovation – in all areas and regardless of role or function. Covestro believes that in its organization "Everyone is an innovator."

The company actively fosters creative thinking through various initiatives: training programs, open collaboration spaces, and Expedition C – an internal learning platform focused on contemporary topics that emphasize creativity and collaboration.

Cultivating Mental Strength

Yet, exceptional creativity requires more than curiosity and expertise. Breakthrough ideas and solutions demand mental resilience – a balanced mind. Research indicates that relaxation triggers alpha waves, the neural foundation for creative processes. When individuals can effectively manage stress rather than succumb to it, their capacity for novel connections and innovative solutions expands.

Covestro incorporates this insight into its practices. Through Corporate Health Management, employees learn techniques for effective stress management and mental conditioning, creating space for innovation even during periods of transformation and high workload.

The Convergence of Creativity and Science

At Covestro, creativity isn't left to chance but integrated into a strategic innovation framework inside and outside its research and innovation functions. The "Open Innovation Platform" channels external perspectives through partnerships with startups and universities, enabling Covestro to blend creative thinking with scientific excellence.

Giving free rein to imagination and maximizing creative potential – this is the winning formula for transforming companies into the pioneers needed for our complex present and challenging future. World Creativity and Innovation Day shouldn't be a single annual event but a daily celebration in both business and society.

Jens Ufermann, Covestro: At Covestro, we are committed to accelerating the transition to a circular economy. In our projects, we work closely as a team, with colleagues from various departments, to tackle the different tasks hand in hand and achieve the optimal results for the customer. On the raw materials side, bio-based and recycled materials are central elements of our strategy. They help us reduce dependence on fossil resources and lower our CO₂ footprint. An example is our RE-compounds, which are made from mass-balanced bio-waste and by-products. By using these materials, we can offer high-quality, durable products that also help protect the environment.

How does a company like CUBOS, specializing in the design and installation of photovoltaic and charging solutions, percieve this development?

Christian Rühe, CUBOS: For us at CUBOS, sustainability is more than just a trend. We manufacture our wallboxes ourselves in Wolfsburg and focus on durable, environmentally friendly materials and processes. We do this not only for ecological reasons but also to offer our customers innovative and cost-effective solutions. For example, we screw the components of our wallboxes together rather than using adhesives. This saves glue and helps make the systems easier to maintain later on. Thanks to our typical modular design, we ensure that our products are more durable and, therefore, more cost-efficient. Sustainability and functionality must go hand in hand to create truly effective products. We are always actively seeking partners with whom we can become more sustainable together. That’s why collaborating with Covestro is a perfect fit for us.

Which products have you so far used more sustainable materials in, and how do you go about selecting more sustainable materials?

Christian Rühe, CUBOS: We produce, among other things, durable wallboxes, i.e., charging stations for electric cars. Recently, we launched our C44E wallbox. It’s an electric car charging station made from more sustainable materials than comparable products. Specifically, it uses materials from Covestro’s RE series. For our products, we have a strict selection process when it comes to materials. We always look for durable, sustainable materials. We scan the market in advance and choose material suppliers who share our vision of uncompromisingly high quality. The team at Covestro impressed us with their deep expertise and enthusiasm for new solutions. The RE products are a perfect fit for us: their property profile offers the same quality as conventional materials but is more sustainable and has a reduced CO₂-footprint.

How important are partnerships like this on the way to a circular economy?

Jens Ufermann, Covestro: It’s essential. As a material manufacturer, we are actively working to become climate-neutral and shift our raw material base. But without partners who can take our products and prepare and create the market for them, we cannot close the loop of the circular economy.

Christian Rühe, CUBOS: And in turn, we need the sustainable materials. If material manufacturers don’t get on board, we won’t be able to offer climate-neutral and circular products. We need each other, and therefore, we must work closely together to make the circular economy a reality. Through our partnership with Covestro, we want to show that we all need to pull together to successfully achieve the energy transition.

Copyright of the header image: ©CUBOS

A day full of innovation and practice

Every two years, when a new racing car is built, visitors get an exciting insight into the workshop work. This year, the open workshop day took place in this form for the first time. It promises interesting insights behind the scenes of the development of the new solar-powered speedster.

As soon as you enter the workshop, you can feel the energy of the team. Between workbenches, components and laptop screens, students are tinkering, screwing and testing. The team's two workshops are places where innovation comes to life. In the offices at the production sites, there were also lectures on driving strategy, simulation and safety. Worth knowing: when it's cloudy, the Sonnenwagen team drives faster than when it's sunny, simply because the cloud cover is then driven under faster. On the office level above the workshop, it was explained how the team's test bench works. The new Sonnenwagen 5 engine was tested live in front of the guests. A real highlight!

Anyone who wanted to know what it feels like to be part of the Sonnenwagen crew had the opportunity to experience this at the wheel changing workshop, for example. Brief introduction: safety goggles, capsule ear protectors, impact wrench for a team of four. Aerodynamic flap down. Then get to work on the bolts, tighten and loosen, everyone has their task. Wheel off, new wheel on and aerodynamic flap back on. What Team Sonnenwagen manages to do in under 90 seconds with three mechanics during the race is a real challenge for inexperienced drivers. In the end, more than three minutes are on the stopwatch.

“The open workshop day was a fantastic opportunity for us to experience first-hand the dedication and technological expertise that goes into developing a competitive solar car,” said Daniel Steinke, Covestro Project Manager for the Sonnenwagen project. “Here, we sponsors get to experience what it's like to be part of the team. My personal highlight was seeing the first Covestro products in the parts of the new Sonnenwagen 5.”

As the main sponsor, Covestro has been supporting the team for many years with innovative materials and expertise from its own ranks. This partnership is helping to make the solar car ever more efficient and sustainable. The big goal this year is once again to successfully participate in the World Solar Challenge 2025.

The countdown is on: Final preparations for the World Solar Challenge

There is almost only one topic during the breaks: from now on, everyday counts, taking a breather is not an option. There is not much time left until the World Solar Challenge in Australia. The car has to be ready by the next milestone in May.  The big roll-out event in Aachen is scheduled for May 26. The new Sonnenwagen 5 will then be presented to the public.

The team is working under high pressure in the decisive production phase. The outer shell is taking shape, the individual components under the hood and the chassis are being screwed, wired and soldered together. Testing begins as soon as the car is ready to drive. Everything for the one race. Across Australia, from north to south. That's why simulations are carried out under race conditions. The whole team is on site weeks before the start of the race. The final set-up is carried out there under the extreme conditions of the Australian outback to ensure maximum performance and reliability in the race. Because at the end of the day, there is one goal: to finally bring the world championship title to Aachen in the tenth year of the club. So far, everything is going according to plan.

The Sonnenwagen 5 is being built for the prestigious World Solar Challenge 2025 and will be presented to the public for the first time on May 26 in Aachen. Covestro colleagues are cordially invited to attend. Further information will follow.

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On the other hand, a sluggishness has taken hold in the energy system, throwing the energy policy triangle off balance. At the moment, it consists of a pronounced hypotenuse of “environmental compatibility”, while the legs of “supply security” and “economic efficiency” remain noticeably short.

I see an imbalance here that harms energy-intensive industries like the chemical sector. Take supply security: The sector is now, and even more so in the future, dependent on the reliable provision of large quantities of climate-friendly produced electricity to energize processes and generate process heat in a climate-neutral way.

But uncertainties aren’t just looming on the horizon tomorrow or the day after. Even today, the sector is facing an existential crisis due to internationally non-competitive energy prices: Electricity in Germany is up to five times, and gas even up to seven times more expensive than at competing locations in other countries. My idea of economic efficiency is quite different.

Integrated electricity market design

It's high time to realign the energy triangle. The federal elections in Germany can and must be the catalyst for this. What is needed is a new, sustainable overarching concept in energy and climate policy. An integrated electricity market design is required to quickly advance the expansion of grids, storage, and reserve power plants. Additionally, renewables need to be better integrated into the electricity system, and smart reforms in grid fees must be initiated. This is crucial because the chemical industry, in particular, can only very limitedly diversify its production.

And the affordable supply of (sustainable) raw materials such as hydrogen, biomass, recycled materials, and CO₂ must also be ensured. This requires, among other things, a convincing strategy for the storage and use of CO₂ – many of Germany’s European neighbors are already setting precedents in this area.

CO₂ price as a control element

Above all, the transformation must be as efficient and cost-effective as possible. In my view, the best way to achieve this is through a technology-neutral central control element: a uniform CO₂ price within the framework of the European Emissions Trading System. This approach would help achieve climate neutrality and the energy transition at the lowest CO₂ avoidance costs, based on market economy principles.

It will certainly take some time for fundamental reforms like these to take effect. Until then, the competitiveness of the industry must not be allowed to erode further. In the short term, action must be taken where the pressure is greatest, but also where the possibilities are significant: in electricity costs. There are many sensible proposals on the table. For example, capping transmission grid fees through temporary cross-financing from the federal budget. Or permanently reducing the electricity tax to the European minimum.

The next federal government must act decisively to preserve and strengthen the industry. Because without a strong industry, not only growth and prosperity are at risk. Without it, Germany’s goal of climate neutrality cannot be achieved. And that, in turn, is essential for competitive reasons. Because renewable energies and sustainable future technologies are the future. And Germany should make its know-how in this area an export hit.

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To prevent vague fears from taking hold, we need to broaden our understanding of security and develop a comprehensive strategy for societal resilience. That's why I'm pleased to see that the Munich Security Conference, which I'm attending, is addressing not only geopolitical issues but also social and environmental concerns such as "democratic resilience" and climate security.

In our fragile world, security goes far beyond preparing for military conflicts, countering hybrid threats, or fighting crime. It also means rebuilding sustainable ecosystems and fostering more inclusive societies. These issues are still too often considered in isolation rather than as part of a holistic approach.

Sustainable Growth: The Foundation of Stability

But there's more to it than that. A resilient nation and a functioning global system must be built on sustainable growth and prosperity. This is where a strong industrial sector becomes crucial. In my view, it forms the bedrock of political autonomy, environmental preservation, climate change mitigation, and a society that can withstand stress.

A strong industry is a cornerstone of the German and European economies. It includes the chemical sector which employs 480,000 people and generates 225 billion euros in revenue. Chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and plastics drive innovation and are the starting point for countless everyday products. And they form the backbone that keeps countries like ours running.

The COVID-19 crisis has shown us all how vital the pharmaceutical industry is to our society. Many other examples are easy to find. Take critical infrastructure: The data and power cables connecting Germany to the world only withstand harsh ocean conditions thanks to plastics. Or consider economic self-sufficiency: As a leading exporter, Germany relies on secure shipping routes. Without paints and coatings from the chemical industry, cargo ships would be less durable and less efficient.

Now I'm not here to sing the praises of "my" industry. Rather, I want to use it as an example to emphasize a crucial point: To remain strong and help shape the future, Germany's industrial base must not only be maintained but strengthened. At the moment, however, it's dangerously eroding.

To reverse this trend, many good proposals have been put forward. These include reducing bureaucracy, energy costs, and taxes; expanding transportation infrastructure, digitalization, education, and European integration; and promoting future technologies and the potential of all people. The next federal government must take these points to heart and implement them consistently.

The key to all of this is greater openness and cooperation across the board. The "Operation Plan Germany" of the German Bundeswehr from 2023, for example – to tie this back to the Security Conference – shows how politics, society, and the economy can meaningfully interlock in case of defense.

We should make this collaborative approach the norm. Only then can we fully harness the potential of industry to create a sustainable, prosperous, and resilient future.

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