Statements and position papers

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) takes a position on many chemistry-related topics in education, research, and science policy. Here you will find a compilation of the corresponding statements and position papers, available as downloadable PDF files. Our scientific and popular science publications can be found under Publications.

Biologization And Bio-Inspiration In Materials Science And Process Chemistry
White paper summarizing and evaluating the workshop “Biologization and Bio-Inspiration in Materials Science and Process Chemistry” held on December 5, 2024, published by GDCh, Dechema, GeKats and VCI (March 2026)

Strengthening Germany as a biotechnology location through the reduction of bureaucracy in genetic engineering law
Joint statement signed by representatives of numerous organizations, including GDCh President Prof. Stefanie Dehnen (September 2025)

Why a "combined subject natural sciences" in secondary level I is currently not a good idea
Joint statement by scientific and science education societies and professional associations on the further development of science education (June 2025)

Germany needs innovation. Innovation requires materials research.
Position paper of the German Association for Materials Science and Engineering (BV MatWerk). The BV MatWerk, of which the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is a member, sees itself as an interface between science, associations, and politics. (June 2025)

Science needs more than money and kind words.
Joint statement by the German Geosciences Association (DVGeo), the German Mathematical Society (DMV), the German Chemical Society (GDCh), and the Association for Biology, Biosciences and Biomedicine in Germany (VBIO). On the occasion of the coalition agreement published by the CDU/CSU and SPD, the major mathematical and scientific societies united in the "Science Connects" alliance are publishing their positions on the framework conditions for Germany as a research location (April 2025).

STEM skills shortage threatens our prosperity
Joint position paper of DECHEMA Society for Chemical Engineering and biotechnology , the German Chemical Society (GDCh), the Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (GBM), the Association of Salaried Academics and Managers in the Chemical Industry (VAA – Specialists and Managers in Chemistry), and the Association of German Engineers (VDI). (June 2024)

White paper on the situation of experimental chemistry teaching in German schools
Published by the GDCh and the Conference of Chemistry Departments (KFC) (February 2024)

Statement by the mathematical and scientific societies against anti-democratic and nationalist approaches in Germany. Joint press release from the German Geosciences Association (DVGeo), the German Mathematical Society (DMV), the German Physical Society (DPG), the German Chemical Society (GDCh), and the Association for Biology, Biosciences and Biomedicine in Germany (VBIO). (February 2024)

Statement by the GDCh on the terrorist attacks on Israel (October 2023)

Statement and discussions of the GDCh on the ECHA's PFAS restriction proposal (September 2023)

Mathematical and scientific societies comment on the planned amendment to the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG)
The five major professional societies for life sciences, chemistry, geosciences, mathematics and physics in Germany comment on the planned amendment to the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (July 2023)

Mathematical and scientific societies: Strengthening basic research in Germany
On the occasion of the UNESCO-proclaimed "International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development 2022/2023 (IYBSSD)," the five major scientific societies of life sciences, chemistry, geosciences, mathematics, and physics call for greater appreciation, better communication, and more effective support of basic research in Germany and its importance for sustainable development. (July 2022)

Professional development and vocational training for teachers is not a leisure activity!
Joint position paper of the mathematical and scientific societies on the continuing education and vocational training of teachers, published by DVGeo, DMV, DPG, GDCh and VBIO. (March 2022)

Joint statement by DVGeo, DPG, GDCh and VBIO on the war in Ukraine (February 25, 2022)

Recommendations of the GDCh Study Commission on Bachelor's degree programs in Chemistry at universities (August 2021)

Position paper on education, research and innovation policy of the chemical organizations
joint position paper of the GDCh with seven other chemical organizations (March 2021)

Covid-19 and the role of aerosol particles
Statement of the Joint Working Committee on Fine Dusts (AAF) of DECHEMA/ProcessNet, GDCh and KRdL (December 2020)

Recommendations of the chemical societies for new tender content to promote materials research, published by GDCh, Dechema and VCI (November 2020)
See also the joint position paper by GDCh, Dechema and VCI " Strengthening Germany through material innovations " from June 2018, at the bottom of this page.

Joint position paper of the mathematical and scientific societies on the COVID-19 pandemic, published by DVGeo, DMV, DPG, GDCh and VBIO (May 2020)

Open letter from the GDCh Division of Senior Expert Chemists to the European Commission (Discussion of more advanced nonselective herbicide technologies in Europe) (June 2020)

Scientific societies on climate change: "Listen to the science!" (January 2020)
Four major mathematical and scientific societies in Germany are calling on politicians and businesses to take decisive action against climate change. They point to the available scientific findings, which necessitate more resolute action.

Cross-association position paper on the upper secondary level in the nine-year Gymnasium (April 2019)

Whitepaper on digitalization in catalysis research by the German Catalysis Society (GeCatS), published by DBG, DECHEMA, DGMK, GDCh and VDI (English) (March 2019)

Statement by the German Chemical Society on "Plan S" (Framework for the transition to Open Access) (December 2018)
Statement of the German Chemical Society on "Plan S" (in English)

Statement by the GDCh Division "chemical education" on structural requirements for experimental teaching in schools (2018)

Polymer research in Germany, position paper of the GDCh Division of Macromolecular Chemistry (July 2018)

Joint position paper of the GDCh, DECHEMA and the German Chemical Industry Association "Strengthening Germany through material innovations" (June 2018)

Catalysis Teaching Profile / Key Topic Collection for Catalysis Teaching of the German Catalysis Society (GeCatS), published by DBG, DECHEMA, DGMK, GDCh and VDI (March 2018)

Position paper of the GDCh Division of Nuclear Chemistry "Research & Perspectives", 2nd revised edition (January 2018)

Discussion results and recommendations from the closed-door meeting “Strengthening chemistry teaching in school grades 5 and 6” (June 2017)

Position paper "Energy storage - The contribution of chemistry", published by DBG, DECHEMA, DGMK, DPG, GDCh, VCI and VDI (January 2015)"; the study "Energy storage as an element of a secure energy supply" was published in Chemie, Ingenieur, Technik, issue 1/2/2015.
Position Paper "Energy Storage Systems - The Contribution of Chemistry" (May 2016)

Hague Ethics Guidelines (January 2016)
Under the leadership of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), more than 30 scientists and representatives of chemical societies, including the German Chemical Society (GDCh), developed the "Hague Ethics Guidelines," which are expressly supported by the GDCh Board . Further information and the Hague Ethics Guidelines (German translation) are available online.

Recommendations of the GDCh Study Commission on Bachelor's degree programs in Chemistry at universities (April 2015)

Joint statement of the mathematical and natural science societies on university funding (January 2015)

Strategy paper of the working committee on fine particles of ProcessNet, KRdL and GDCh (English), (Strategy paper fine particles 2014) (November 2014)

Statement on the further development of the CHE ranking (December 2013)

GDCh position paper “On the future of scientific publishing” (December 2013)
GDCh Position Paper “On the Future of Scientific Publishing” (December 2013)

Position paper "Positions and demands of chemical organizations from science and industry on education, research and innovation", published by BAVC, DBG, DECHEMA, GDCh, GBM, IG BCE, VAA and VCI (January 2013)