Based on recently published studies on the life cycle analysis of several chemicals, and the CO2 emissions associated with their production, a new approach to the selective oxidation of light hydrocarbons is discussed. By nature, selective oxidations are also producing CO2 as the end product, much preferred by the thermodynamics. New technologies such as the circulating fluid bed reactor in selective oxidation, could be considered to propose a solution to reduce the CO2 emissions both with respect to the yield improvement, but also as a solution to recover CO2 from a high partial pressure recycling loop. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.