- The work produced through the collaborative efforts of more than 80 specialists from the Spanish Network of Safe and Sustainable Nanotechnologies (SustainableNano – SNSSN)—offers a comprehensive vision of the role of nanotechnology in addressing today’s and tomorrow’s global challenges.

- Co-funded by the Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia of the University of Barcelona (IN2UB) and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (through the SNSSN network), the book is presented as a benchmark document in science, innovation, and sustainability.

Nanotechnology is a discipline that is already transforming many areas of our society—from health and electronics to engineering and the energy transition. And its potential to continue doing so is enormous. That is why it is essential that its goals and challenges align with sustainable development and with policies that promote a fairer, more planet-friendly future. This is the premise that inspires the Third White Paper on Nanotechnologies.

This collective work is published at a pivotal moment in history, when science must counter the spread of misinformation and denialist narratives by offering real solutions to major global challenges. As Professor Pablo Ordejón, Director of the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) and coordinator of the SNSSN network, emphasizes: “The scientific community has a duty to combat anti-science narratives and to provide solutions based on science and technology. This book is a decisive contribution in that direction, in the area of nanotechnologies.”

The Third White Paper on Nanotechnologies serves as a bridge between science and society, innovation and sustainability, cutting-edge research and everyday life. Scientifically rigorous yet clearly outreach-oriented, the volume is aimed at researchers, educators, and institutional and policy decision-makers alike. It aspires to become a reference for understanding how nanotechnology from nanomaterials to quantum computing will be key to building a more sustainable and equitable future for our society.

A collaborative, multidisciplinary initiative

The Third White Paper on Nanotechnologies is an initiative of SustainableNano – the Spanish Network on Safe and Sustainable Nanotechnologies (SNSSN). The network comprises the leading Spanish research centers focused on nanoscale research and development, working together to generate safe, sustainable, and socially beneficial nanosciences and nanotechnologies by integrating sustainability criteria throughout the entire process. Particular attention is given to research addressing production, consumption, waste generation and management, and recycling. The network aims to achieve short-term results that foster change while ensuring a long-term impact on its activities.

The Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) of the University of Valencia is one of the member institutions of the SNSSN network. Dr. Abraham Mendoza Valderrey, leader of the SOC – Sustainable Organic Chemistry Group at ICMol, serves as the network’s coordinator.

Coordinated by Jordi Díaz Marcos, Joan Mendoza Gonzálvez (CCiTUB), and Pedro A. Serena Domingo (ICMM, CSIC), the book brings together contributions from a large number of specialists within the scientific community of the SustainableNano – SNSSN network, which comprises 13 research centers. The work is structured into six chapters that address key areas where nanotechnology is essential:

- The impact of nanotechnology on science, policy, and society

- The innovation potential of nanomaterials

- The relationship between energy and sustainability: from catalysts to smart buildings

- Achievements and challenges concerning water, the environment, and agri-food systems

- Nanomedicine, with special focus on early diagnosis, personalized medicine, and tissue regeneration

- Information and communication technologies (ICT) and their role in sustainable development

Nanotechnology and sustainability are two pillars that when combined hold tremendous potential to shape the horizon of our society and the planet. In the words of Guillem Aromí, Director of the Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia at the University of Barcelona (IN2UB) and also a coordinator of the SNSSN network: “Development can no longer be conceived without the adjective ‘sustainable’. And nanotechnology has much to contribute in this regard, because it is already transforming our present with real solutions and applications.”

In short, the Third White Paper on Nanotechnologies is an invitation to look to the future with responsibility and ambition. Through collaboration among leading research centers and the active participation of the SNSSN network, this work demonstrates that nanotechnology can and must be a driver of social transformation.

Book available at this link.
For more information about SNSSN projects, please visit the network’s website.