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摘要: In 1987, a UN report defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”(2). This report is often recognized as the genesis of the modern sustainability movement. However, the concept of sustainability appears in historical records and ancient proverbs throughout the world and has an extensive history (3). As the challenge of living in harmony with the earth becomes increasingly difficult (4), more than ever, society needs education and high-quality, cutting-edge research to meet this challenge. Society currently has a nonsustainable dependence on a finite supply of fossil-fuel-based hydrocarbons used in almost every synthetic material in the economy. The finite, nonsustainable supply of fossil fuels also serves as the main source of energy. The price of oil continues to rise while, at the same time, the countries that produce these vital fuels struggle with unstable social and political conditions. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the growth in energy demand is projected to continue, and the cumulative impact of burning fossil fuels to meet this demand raises serious concerns.Our nonsustainable use of materials and energy also harms the health and well-being of society and ecosystems. For example, CO2, a byproduct of the combustion of fossil fuels, harms the environment by stimulating global climate change and potentially disastrous global warming. Specific challenges related to the chemical industry for achieving a sustainable society were identified in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) workshop report Grand