The student research group "Clean Environment for the Future of the Country" is one of the forms of scientific activity of students from the Department of Applied Ecology, Technology of the Polymers and Chemical Fibers, aimed at expanding their scientific potential and developing their research skills during free time.

One of the root causes of Ukraine's environmental problems is the low level of public understanding of the priorities of environmental protection and the benefits of balanced (sustainable) development, the imperfection of the environmental education system. In this regard, the main task of the scientific group "Clean Environment for the future of the country" is to form students' environmental worldview, encourage / involve them in environmental activities to ensure sustainable development, overcome the effects of climate change and adapt to new environmental conditions.

The main activities of the student research group:

• organization of research activities for creatively gifted students;
• involvement of students in scientific conferences, seminars;
• encouraging students to participate in the social life of the department, faculty and university;
• deepening of scientific knowledge of ecological direction concerning ecologically friendly polymeric materials, chemical fibers, processing of wastes of the chemical industry, wastewater treatment of the industrial enterprises;
• focusing students' attention on potential environmental problems of the chemical industry and identifying ways to overcome them;
• help students who have a penchant for scientific research to determine the objects of research and future topics of master's theses.

The participation of students in the work of the scientific group help to increase the level of their scientific training; ensures the formation of students' interest in scientific creativity, independence, internal organization, a conscious attitude to learning, deepening and consolidation of knowledge gained in the learning process.

Why are the issues of climate neutrality and sustainable development so acute in economically developed countries today? What is sustainable development in general?

2019 was the second warmest year in the history of observations and the end of the warmest decade (2010-2019) ever recorded. The level of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in 2019 rose to new records.

Climate change is affecting on every country from every continent. Although preliminary estimates suggest that greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by about 6% in 2020 due to travel bans and the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this improvement is only temporary. As part of climate change mitigation, the decarbonisation of society [reducing CO₂ emissions] is the basis for tackling the climate change.

Strategy of the national ecological policy of Ukraine

• achieving a safe environment for human health;
• raising the level of public awareness on environmental protection issues;
• improving the environmental situation and increasing the level of environmental safety;
• improving the system of integrated environmental management by including the environmental component in the development programs of economic sectors;
• reduction of biodiversity losses, development of protected areas;
• ensuring the ecologically balanced use of natural resources.

The Law of Ukraine "On Basic Principles (Strategy) of State Environmental Policy of Ukraine until 2030" states that the introduction of environmentally friendly, resource- and energy-saving technologies, development of renewable energy sources, intangible nature use are unsystematic and too slow. Accordingly, one of the tasks on the way to climate neutrality and sustainable development of Ukraine's economy is the greening of production based on comprehensive solutions to environmental protection, use and reproduction of renewable natural resources, widespread introduction of new technologies.

The research topics of the student research group fully meet the objectives of greening the economy of Ukraine:

I. Use or disposal of industrial wastes, including wastes of polymeric, fibrous, leather, textile materials.

II. Development of new low-waste technologies and waste processing.

III. Problems of environmental protection from industrial emissions.

In 2020, members of the student research group took part in scientific conferences:

1. Resource-saving technologies of light, textile and food industries: International scientific-practical Internet conference of young scientists and students, November 18-19, 2020 - Khmelnitsky: KhNU.
2.  X Ukrainian-Polish Scientific conference “Polymers of special applications” L`viv, September 21-24, 2020.
3. VI International Scientific and Practical Conference "Modern Technologies of the Industrial Complex - 2020", September 8-12, 2020, Kherson, Ukraine.
4. Chemical problems of the present (HPS-2020): III International (XIII Ukrainian) scientific conference of students, graduate students and young scientists, 2020, Vinnytsia / Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University.
5. 3^rd International Conference on Advanced Polymer Materials and Technologies, APMT-2020, Kyiv, KNUTD.