Process systems engineering thinking and tools applied to sustainability problems: current landscape and future opportunities

In this work we provide a perspective on Process Systems Engineering (PSE) in the context of sustainability, reviewing the main tools available and describing major applications in sustainability problems spanning multiple scales, from molecules, through chemical plants, and finally the enterprise and macroeconomic levels. After highlighting the potential role of PSE in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we discuss future research directions, focusing on major modelling and algorithmic challenges along with the trend to explore new application domains beyond chemical engineering while still revisiting problems within the core discipline.