How to Catalyze a Safer and More Sustainable Chemical Industry: The chemical industry's last century is a story of highs and lows--both provide lessons that can be used to design its future.

This article examines the history and future transformation of the chemical industry, emphasizing the need to address sustainability as an innovation challenge rather than solely a regulatory one. It highlights how early 20th-century crises, government coordination, and long-term investment fueled rapid industry growth and innovation, while later decades saw commoditization, regulatory constraints, and financialization contribute to stagnation. Drawing lessons from past successes and failures, the authors advocate for a combined approach of proactive "sprint" initiatives and long-term strategic planning, incorporating biology and sustainability into chemical design. They argue that with coordinated policy, patient investment, and collaboration across sectors, the chemical industry can be reshaped to produce safer, more sustainable products that meet societal and environmental goals.