Graham S. Pearson and Peter Mahaffy Pure and Applied Chemistry Vol. 78, No. 11, pp. 2169-2192, 2006 doi:10.1351/pac200678112169

The 2002 IUPAC evaluation of scientific and technological advances relevant to the operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) included a recommendation

that more education and outreach should be directed toward the worldwide scientific and technical community to increase awareness of the CWC and its benefits. In 2004, the president of IUPAC and the director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) agreed on a proposal for a joint project on chemistry education, outreach, and the professional conduct of chemists. This led to a joint IUPAC/OPCW international workshop held in Oxford, UK, from 9-12 July 2005, which attracted 27 participants from 18 different countries. This report sets out the background to the workshop, the scope of the presentations and discussions, the outcomes of the workshop, and the recommended steps to further chemical education, outreach, and codes of conduct in regard to the obligations of the CWC.

Among the key recommendations of the report are the following:

* Chemistry education for secondary and post-secondary students must address the benefits of science and technology using chemicals and the potential for misuse in regard to illicit drugs, chemical and biological weapons, persistent organic pollutants, etc.

* Chemists need to recognize their role in ensuring sustainable development, and that compliance and implementation of international treaties such as the CWC and the BTWC (Biological And Toxin Weapons Convention) contribute to sustainable development.

* OPCW needs to clearly endorse the education and codes initiative, which can be referred to byIUPAC National Adhering Organizations and Associate NAOs in approaching their respective National Authorities and other national ministries.

www.iupac.org/publications/pac/2006/7811/7811x2169.html