Protection against corrosion is a true must facing the challenges of sustainability

Since the inception of the principles of sustainable development in the 1960s, which gradually paved the way for widespread concerns about sustainability that gained momentum in the late 20th century, it became evident that the predominant voices came from fields distant from the realm of engineering. Particularly, individuals rooted in social and human sciences and those with proximity to the domain of biology contributed to the discourse, while the presence of what we could term "hard engineering" was not as pronounced. During that period, this discourse became useful for populist agendas, "green washing" advertisements by companies, and the movements such as "green" political parties gained unexpected traction. Since then, discussions about pollution problems, species extinction risks, the need to adopt herbivorous diets, and other environmental issues have proliferated. However, these discussions have often remained in the realm of rhetoric rather than translating into concrete actions.

Lately, environmental concerns have become intertwined with the imperative to revolutionize the energy sources that sustain our way of life. Undoubtedly, this imperative is closely linked to underlying economic motivations. Only when these emerge do measures begin to be taken and for this reason an issue inherent to sustainability, such as the exploitation and use of fundamental materials for the advancement of civilization, continues to be ignored in the great debates on the protection of our habitat. Those who participate in these discussions often do not understand the importance of the issue, while those who do know have no voice or interest in driving change.

The environmental imbalance we have reached in the Anthropocene (the geological epoch in which human existence has significantly impacted Earth's geology and ecosystems) is multifaceted and calls for a comprehensive approach. This means that it is not enough to focus solely on the concerns of those who protest pollution, work on the energy transition, or advocate for radical changes in eating habits. The role of materials such as concrete and steel is mentioned mainly in relation to their contribution to environmental pollution and the goal of achieving zero emissions. It is therefore understandable that discussions of trends in primary technologies rarely address the depletion and rising cost of industrial resources, while specifically addressing issues such as alternative energy and climate-responsive technologies.

While essential educational initiatives around environmental issues are on the rise, they fall short of the required comprehensive outlook, one that also addresses the global concern about materials depletion and the rising costs of materials needed to support the sustainable development of future generations. Optimizing the use of materials is a fundamental prerequisite in the pursuit of ecosystem sustainability. A central aspect of this effort lies in preventing and protecting against corrosion problems. These efforts have been oriented mainly to economic needs and occasionally others such as aesthetic or health requirements. Nevertheless, the imperative for the realm of corrosion and protection science and engineering to robustly tackle issues concerning both environmental and social sustainability has grown increasingly urgent.

Carlos Arroyave