Sustainable Educational, Scientific and Development Cultural Organization Goals The Future of

SCIENTIFIC ADVICE TO THE UNITED NATIONS

A Summary Report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations from the SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD September 2016 The Future of SCIENTIFIC ADVICE TO THE UNITED NATIONS

A Summary Report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations from the SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

September 2016 Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) Secretariat UNESCO: Flavia Schlegel (Secretary), Salvatore Aricò (Coordinator), Isabelle Brugnon, Natasha Lazic, Ana Persic, Léo Trembley, Romeo Beccherelli (supported by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – CNR), Fera Fizani (supported by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology – MIGHT), Anna Zvereva (supported by the Russian Federation)

Drafting team Susan Avery, Maria Ivanova and Robert L. Turner Supported by the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts

Cover photo UN Photo/Albert González Farran: Helping a disabled child to solve a math problem

Editorial Design Jeddi Ltd.

Meetings of the Board were funded by The governments of , Italy, Malaysia and the Russian Federation

And organized in collaboration with TWAS, ICTP, ICGEB, IAP and MIGHT

Published in 2016 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 07 SP,

© UNESCO 2016

ISBN 978-92-3-100168-0

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Printed by UNESCO Message from Scientific Advisory Board Chairperson

The world is facing an array of new challenges that call for tackle the challenges of climate change and adapt to its new ways of thinking to craft effective solutions that are to the consequences, to forge a renewed action agenda on disaster benefit of all. In a world of increasing limits, we must nurture risk reduction, to craft a strategy for finance mobilization in our greatest renewable energy – this is ingenuity and creativity. support of sustainable development – all of this to take forward This is the importance of the sciences, which hold keys to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. answering many of the questions facing countries across the world today – questions about food security and water This Report provides an analysis of priority issues and suggests management, questions about ocean sustainability, questions recommendations on how to tackle them, with science at the about eradicating poverty, bolstering health, and forging heart of our action agenda. I believe that this is a powerful new paths to inclusive, sustainable development. This is why resource for the Secretary-General and the UN System as a the sciences are vital to leading forward the 2030 Agenda for whole, for stronger action at every level, from local to global. Sustainable Development. I am deeply grateful to the Governments of Germany, Italy, In this spirit, I was honoured to have been entrusted by the Malaysia and the Russian Federation, along with all partner Secretary-General with the task to chair the Scientific Advisory institutions, for their support to the meetings of the Board. Board. The distinguished members of the Scientific Advisory I wish to acknowledge also the contributions of observers Board have worked tirelessly to explore and promote the from the UN and other international organizations that have centrality of science to the 2030 Agenda. Board members have enriched the work of the Board. In closing, I wish to commend pointed to inequalities which science can help to balance. They the distinguished members of the Board for sharing their have emphasized the moral obligation to use science for the visions, experience and committment. Our thoughts go to the good, and highlighted the importance of the nexus between family and friends of Ahmed Zewail, who left us recently. He led science and policy-making and the interdependence of the key efforts to promote the contribution of science not only to different disciplines and bodies of evidence. the continuous quest of knowledge but also to building bridges between poor and rich countries. May this report be dedicated The Scientific Advisory Board has provided advice to the to his memory and his commitment to science. Secretary-General in a timely, salient, and policy-relevant manner. Its work has coincided with ground-breaking times, when governments across the world are striving, with civil society, with private business, with the academic world, to

Irina Bokova, Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Board

3 Scientific Advisory Board

Members

Tanya Abrahamse Susan Avery Sir Hilary McDonald Beckles Ke Gong Jörg Hinrich Hacker Maria Ivanova Wole Boboyelo Laurence Tubiana

Joji Cariño Rosie Cooney Abdallah S Daar Eugenia Kalnay Eva Kondorosi Reiko Kuroda Judi W. Wakhungu Ada E. Yonath Zakri Abdul Hamid

Gebisa Ejeta Valdimir Fortov Fabiola Gianotti Dong-Pil Min Carlos Nobre Shankar Sastry Ahmed Zewail †

Rajendra Pachauri (until November 2015)

Chairperson

Irina Bokova

4 CONTENTS

Message: Scientific Advisory Board Chairperson Irina Bokova...... 3

Scientific Advisory Board: Members & Chairperson...... 4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...... 6

INTRODUCTION ...... 8

SCIENCE: The foundation ...... 11

Recommendations ...... 13

DATA: The revolution...... 15

Recommendations ...... 16

SCIENCE-POLICY-SOCIETY INTERFACE: The road to sustainability ...... 17

Recommendations ...... 20

REDUCING INEQUALITIES: A global imperative...... 22

Recommendations ...... 23

THE DELPHI STUDY: Identifying grand challenges ...... 24

Recommendations ...... 24

THE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD: Moving forward ...... 27

Recommendations ...... 28

CONCLUSION ...... 31

5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

umanity faces many challenges. Some are our own creations. Many require Han international response. All must be met with policies that are clear, agreed-upon, SCIENCE: DATA: and powerful. This is the reason that science The foundation The revolution is an essential component – in many cases the bedrock – of an effective strategy for policy and decision-making. Science makes policy out of brick, not straw.

The United Nations (UN) Scientific Advisory Board considers science central to decision- SCIENCE–POLICY–SOCIETY making for sustainable development. This THE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY INTERFACE: report is grounded in that view. It summarizes BOARD: The road to sustainability the Board’s work in specific areas, including the Moving forward role of science; the data revolution; the interface of science, policy, and society; and efforts to reduce inequalities. It outlines the Delphi study identifying grand challenges. The report REDUCING contains recommendations that could be taken THE DELPHI STUDY: INEQUALITIES: up by the UN Secretary-General, by individual Identifying grand A global imperative governments, by scientists, and by other challenges stakeholders. It also features recommendations for the effective operation and future role of the UN Scientific Advisory Board itself.

6 Major findings and recommendations of the Board include

1. Science is a public good, and deserves to 6. To ensure a continuing flow of creative be valued more highly, employed more scientists, countries should strongly widely, and used effectively by decision- promote education in science, technology, makers at all levels. engineering, and mathematics for all children beginning at an early age. 2. Science can be a game-changer in dealing with even the most pressing global 7. Scientists, policy-makers, and society at challenges if it is used to its full potential large need to understand each other’s at all three crucial phases: understanding perspectives; they by nature operate the problems, formulating policies, from different priorities and are subject and assuring that those policies are to different forms of accountability. They implemented effectively. should therefore jointly contribute to an enhanced science-policy-society interface. 3. Science should be integral – not an add-on – to all policy discussions. It should play 8. Science can help narrow economic and a key role in the achievement of the 17 opportunity gaps. Bringing together Sustainable Development Goals adopted science with indigenous and local by all UN member states in 2015. knowledge will be critical for providing the most appropriate solutions for sustainable 4. The burgeoning flow of scientific data – the development, particularly when it data revolution – has great potential for comes to implementing the Sustainable good, if its availability, management, use, Development Goals at the local level. and growth are handled effectively. 9. Science has value beyond issues that are 5. Basic research is the foundation for essentially “scientific.” When tensions arise innovation; applied research creates among nations, their leaders can respond products and technologies. All nations far better if they understand and agree should embrace them both. Developing upon the scientific evidence for the root countries will increase their prospects causes of those tensions. for sustainable development if they fund research at a minimum of one percent of 10. In addressing the world’s grand challenges, GDP. More advanced nations should invest the United Nations should promote greater three percent or more. global collaboration, encourage the use of international science networks, and provide avenues for science to inform and implement policies.

7 INTRODUCTION

n the opening ceremony launching the operate at such a high level of international Science is vital to UN Scientific Advisory Board in January governance, and with a mandate to provide I2014, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon advice on a broad array of the most pressing advance sustainable stressed the importance of science “to advance challenges for the planet and its people in the sustainable development, reduce inequality era of the Anthropocene, when humanity has development, and eradicate extreme poverty.” become a planetary force.

reduce inequality Created on the recommendation of the UN The High-Level Panel’s report urged that High-level Panel on Global Sustainability in its “Governments and the scientific community and eradicate 2012 report Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A should take practical steps, including through future worth choosing, the UN Scientific Advisory the launching of a major global scientific extreme poverty. Board is unique. It is the only science board to initiative, to strengthen the interface between policy and science.” To that end, the report said “the Secretary-General should consider naming a chief scientific advisor or establishing a scientific advisory board with diverse DUK-photothek knowledge and experience to advise him or her and other organs of the United Nations.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in September 2013 established the Scientific Advisory Board (the Board) by appointing its 26 members (13 women and 13 men) from a broad range of fields and disciplines. Much of the work of this diverse Board has indeed been pioneering, as anticipated by the process that created it.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN Scientific Advisory Board at the Opening Ceremony in Berlin, Germany, 30–31 January 2014

8 From its inception, the Board had The Board has met five times, most the following mandate: recently in May 2016, in Trieste, Italy. Report of the Inaugural meeting 30-31 January 2014, Berlin, Germany

On 30 and 31 January 2014, the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the UN Secretary- General held its Inaugural meeting in Berlin, upon invitation of the German Government. REPORT OF THE THIRD MEETING The central function of the Board will be to OF THE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD The Board has produced twelve policy briefs and The public opening ceremony at the Federal Foreign Office was addressed by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations and Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO. In four subsequent internal working sessions, chaired by the Director-General of UNESCO, the members of the SAB OF THE UNITED NATIONS provide advice on science, technology and other papers, focusing on issues ranging from defined the elements of their future work programme. I. Opening Ceremony 25–26 May 2015 The opening ceremony was attended by more than 500 persons, eminent German and , Malaysia international policy-makers, scientists and the media, including ambassadors, more than two innovation (STI) for sustainable development the data revolution and the role of science in hundred university rectors and directors of non-university research institutes, as well as Presidents and Secretaries-General of German national scientific institutions. The moderator of the ceremony was the well-known REPORTGerman TV science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. Musical interludes were contributed by the World Orchestra for Peace. on the to the UN Secretary-General and to executive In his welcomeSECOND address, MEETING Minister SteinmeierOF THE SCIENTIFIC underlined ADVISORY the key added BOARD value of the UN: “The achieving sustainable development goals to the United Nations provide their services when nation-states are reaching their limits. They help

where others have long given up. They get involved where there are no more easy solutions.” He went on to promise10 -that11 DecemberGermany’s “commitment2014 at and to the United Nations is and remains at the core ofUNESCO German Headquarters, foreign policy.” ParisMinister Steinmeier further welcomed the establishment of the SAB: “The distinguished scientists on the Board will serve the heads of UN organizations. The Board will bring Organization’s top leadership not only in an academic capacity but also as partners who ambitious Delphi study which seeks to identify The second Meeting of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) wasspeak held for societyat UNESCO at large.” Headquarters in Paris on 10 and 11 December 2014. The Chairperson of the SAB, Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, welcomed the In his introductory remarks, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-moon, participantsexplained the by specificvideo message,rationale foras establishingshe had been the absentSAB as on a thebody first to dayadvise of thethe UN together in a coherent manner the collective MeetingSecretary-General due to other and pressing Executive obligations Heads. Seeof UNannex agencies I for the on text science of her statementfor sustainable. major “scientific concerns about the future of development-related matters: “We face a multiplicity of crises, risks and vulnerability that are Thetoo intertwinedSecretary- Generalto be solved of the by United one nationNations alone. addressed No single a videodecision-making message tobody the can Meeting,address them.in which No singlehe set research out a list area of ifivecan unravelareas which them. he[…] wante We needd SAB scientific to address approaches at thisthat session.overcome In barriersaddition between he requested disciplines SAB anmembersd methods. to raiseWe needany scientifica holistic concer vision nsof the theychallenges may have to build about integrated the future responses. of people And and we theneed planet local andand globalregarding political which leadership he capacity of all relevant scientific fields, with wouldinformed do by his solid best science to push and innovativefor a global approac response.hes to problemThe text solving.” of the The message UN Secretary-is people and the planet” as requested by the containedGeneral emphasized in annex II. three short-term landmarks for the SAB: the UN Climate Summit in September 2014, the last mile for reaching the MDGs by 2015 and the post-2015 development agenda. 18 Members of the SAB participated in the Meeting under the co-chairmanship of Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Zakri, Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and Irina due regard to social and ethical dimensions of Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO. Observers from WMO, UNEP and WIPO also Secretary-General. participated. During the Meeting, interventions were also made by a number of 1 REPORT OF THE FOURTH MEETING invited high-level experts, namely Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN); David Wilkinson, Director of Scientific Policy and OF THE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD Stakeholders Relations, Joint Research Centre, European Commission; Frans OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL sustainable development. The fields will span Berkhout, ICSU representing the Future Earth Programme and Rob Jenkins, Global Young Academy (for list of participants see Annex III). OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Prior to the SAB Meeting, the Chairman of UNESCO’s Executive Board, H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Sameh Amr, organised two briefing meetings for delegations with a few SAB members on Fourthissues at theMeeting core of UNESCO’s science mandate, a broad spectrum, from the basic sciences, Nearly a dozen subgroups of the Board have namely the role of science in the context of the SDGs, oceans, climate change and 14-15 December 2015 big data. AnotherSaint information Petersburg, meeting on Russianthe results of Federation the discussions Meeting was Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation organised by Director-General Bokova for all Member States at the end of the SAB Meeting. The Ambassador14 –and15 PermanentDecember Delegate 2015 of France to UNESCO, Monsieur Philippe Lalliot, hosted a reception at the Quai d’Orsay for SAB members through engineering and technology, social been formed and worked on specific issues and Permanent Delegates of Member States, providing an opportunity for further in- depth discussions and interactions.

The programmeResultsof the Meeting of a Delphi can beStudy found onin the annex Top IVChallenges. Its initial focus was on a review of the SAB work during 2014 and progress on the work streams agreed at the science and humanities, ethics, health, economic, and tasks. This Summary Report is drawn first SAB Meeting infor Berlin. the FDutureiscussions of Humanityensued aboutand the the Pfollowinglanet issues, including to be brought to the attention of the Secretary-General behavioral, and agricultural sciences, in addition largely from the policy briefs and other

SAB/4/INF/7 1 to the environmental sciences, which are more advice requested by the Secretary-General, or commonly associated with sustainability. generated by the Board on its own initiative. The Fourth Meeting Scientific Advisory Board hopes and believes it , Russian Federation 14–15 December 2015

has provided and is providing valuable service Policy Brief on Data Revolution for Better Lives for All to the Secretary-General, to the United Nations, The Crucial Role of Science for Sustainable Development and the Post‐2015 Development Agenda

Preliminary Reflection and Comments by and to the world community. the Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary‐General SAB/4/INF/6

to the ongoing discussions in New York (ECOSOC, Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, other post‐2015 related processes)

MEETINGS & DATES

Given the number and complexity of global 4 July 2014

Policy Brief for the UN Climate Summit (23 September 2014)

challenges today, the Board recommends that

Berlin, Germany It is widely accepted that some of the major challenges that we face at the global as well as the local level 1. require decision making based on an increasing level of scientific knowledge. Scientific inputs are critical to our understanding of the drivers of global change and of its multi‐faceted, complex impacts. These are also fundamental to the legitimacy of political efforts to control the problem and to the creation of a the Secretary-General retain this institutional growing slate of available and affordable solutions. The interface between science and policy, therefore, 30–31 January 2014 acquires growing importance not only for protecting the ecosystems of this planet and managing the global commons on a sustainable basis, but also in ensuring that decisions are taken in full knowledge of the scientific nature of problems that we confront and the solutions that should be implemented to deal 1 with them. In areas like dealing with climate change, protecting biodiversity and the conservation of innovation in the United Nations, and natural resources, science necessarily provides the foundation for rational policies and decision making. Climate change is one part of a larger set of problems that relate to the management of the global commons in general.

Initial Assessment of the Report Entitled Challenges and barriers Paris, France “A World That Counts: Mobilizing the Data Revolution for Sustainable 2. strengthen its role and its collaborations with There is no doubt that there are some uncertainties associated with knowledge related to planetary Development” problems that the world is confronted with. However, the recent advance of knowledge as brought out, for instance, in the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), provides a 23 March 2015 substantial wealthComments of robust by information Members on of the the basis Scientific of which decisions Advisory can Boardbe taken of with the a high level of 10–11 December 2014 certainty related to their outcomes and impacts. Some uncertainty in scientific, financial or technological

issues is something that human societyof the has UN dealt Secretary with for‐ long,General and even today business decisions are other UN organizations. often characterized by onhigh the levels IEAG of draftuncertainty Report related on Datato future Revolution outcomes. Despite these recent 1. It is essential that the Data Revolution reduces, rather than entrenches, the data advances, it is well known that scientific knowledge today is not being incorporated effectively in the divide between rich and poor. Those with access to data and information will have more formulation and implementation of policies and decisions in critical areas of human endeavour. There are power in this new world than those who do not, and enhancing equity among countries and 30 October 2014 several reasons for this situation. stakeholders in access to and use of data is a fundamental requirement for this revolution to contribute to sustainable development. We recommend that the data divide issue should be The UN Secretary‐General Ban Ki‐moon has asked an Independent Expert Advisory Group (IEAG) to make addressed by integrating strategies for the dissemination and use of data/information by all concreteScientists recommendations are often not familiar on bringing with theabout complexities a data revolution and practical in sustainable problems development. associated with The policy Group‐ Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia people. is makingpart of andthe Secretarythe outcome‐General’s of specific efforts decisions. to prepare Conversely, a Synthesis decision Report makers requested do not by always UN Member comprehend States 3. aheadscientific of the phenomena, intergovernmental which often negotiations do not lend leading themselves to the toadoption ease of ofmatching the post with‐2015 practical agenda. decision The UN‐ 2. The implementation plan should go beyond statistics and correlations to the Secretarymaking frameworks.‐General Ban Ki‐moon has also asked that the members of his Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) processing and management of data/information that establishes causality and process- engage in the elaboration of his Synthesis Report including its Data Revolution part. oriented data. It will indeed be unfortunate to have correlation supplant our understanding of There are also some differences in priorities between the two groups. Scientists are subject to a different causation and model based analytics. Such a balanced approach, will be needed to ensure Afterform a ofquick accountability, examination– and, given hence, the are extreamly primarily tight focused deadline on research ‐ of the anddraft publishing Report on in Data peer Revolution‐reviewed 26–27 May 2015 that the SDGs are driven by the best available science, supported by processed data, with releasedjournals. on Besides, 24 October even 2014if scientists by the are IAEG, deeply the SABmotivated members to orient would their like workto offer towards the following better policy, comments they established cause and effect. forlack further appropriate consideration avenues in throughthe elaboration which to of influence the final versionthe political of the process. Report: Policy makers, on the other

3. Since the data will be obtained multi-modally (written, audio and video streams for 1. The draft Report is comprehensive, forward looking, focused, cogent, reflecting the UN principlesPage 1 offor 2 instance) and from multiple sources, systems should be established for the assessment and categorization of data quality, provenance, and time-criticality. Guidelines should also be sustainable development, and practical in its recommendations. developed for the characterization and use of rich or sparse data, using lessons from, for example, the fields of meteorology, public health and demographics, which have long 2. SAB Members highly appreciate that the notions of “equity in access and use of data” as well as experience in developing this methodology. “quality and integrity” have been given importance and are listed as key principles. St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

4. 4. Training programs,Scien cpossiblye, Tec honn-lineolo versions,gy and shouldInno vbeat idevelopedon: to build the 3. With regard to equity in access and use of data, it is noted that, although an important para on page necessary capacity for the widespread use of this envisaged data/information system. These 4 highlighhs that ‘Above all, this should be a revolution for equity in access and use [of] data", the could include:C roniti-clineal trainingMean programs;s of Imp reallem-timeen trainingtation programs, for the and SD Gtrains -the-trainer recommendations of the Report do not refer to this fundamental problem of equity. The SAB programs. There are existing organisations and institutions both within the UN system and Members suggest therefore that specific recommendations be formulated in this respect and 14–15 December 2015 without that could be harnessed to play a leading role in this arena. proposes that the following key global priorities be included: Reflections by a. Avoiding a data divide between rich and poor countries; 5. The approaches to the sharing of big data/information should draw from the rich the Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary-General b. HarmonizationStrength eandni standardizationng the Hig ofh -dataLe vplatformsel Pol foriti cincreasedal For accessibilityum and and th exchange;e UN experience acquired from techniques developed for the analysis and sharing of c. Capacity building nationally and regionally ; meteorological data, as well as the sharing of biodiversity, public health and agricultural d. Identification of vastly experienced (e.g. India, Malaysia) but not necessarily “rich” countries to production data. These are exemplars of areas in which successful methods have been Global Sustainable Development Report help less endowed countries; developedbased on the for Roundtablethe sharing Discussionof big data/information held on 23 April by multiple2015 at theorganizations UNHQ, in the across framework the world. e. Establishment of training institutes, from technical training to graduate education at universities; Theirof the successfulfourth session experience of the intergovernmental and expertise should, negotiations therefore, on the be Post integrated-2015 Development into a multi - stakeholder team that should be convened by the United Nations to manage the sharing of the newly energized United Nations University system could perhaps play a leading role; Agenda f. Job creation as part of ramping up. big data/information. Policy Brief by the Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary-General Trieste, Italy

5. 4. One general question to be addressed from the outset could be: what should be prioritized? What should a government, say in Sub‐Saharan Africa, do first? Join international organizations that might be created or build local national capacity? Is there an opportunity to create jobs, especially for youth and young women? Such a prioritization could be pursued by the proposed “Global 24–25 May 2016 1 9 July 2015

9 July 2015

9 NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Duberstein

Airglow around the equator is the result complex interactions between Earth’s magnetic field lines (shown in white here) and terrestrial weather. NASA’s ICON mission, led by a team at the University of California at Berkeley, will study such interactions in the near-Earth space environment

10 SCIENCE: The foundation

cience, technology, and innovation knowledge is critical in determining how our future In addition, there is no doubt that important are the key drivers of a development as the human race in a sustainable environment knowledge already exists among indigenous Sagenda that is people-centered and will unfold. Solutions are being proposed and peoples and local communities all over the globe, sustainable. STI can be a game-changer in tested. As one example, scientists and engineers waiting to be integrated and promoted by a dealing with nearly all the most pressing have advanced the efficiency of solar panels and larger audience. History provides many examples global challenges. Solutions based in STI can wind turbines, and the capacity and durability of of this reality. One familiar illustration: How contribute significantly to alleviating poverty, batteries, much faster than many predicted, raising many thousands of Europeans died of malaria, creating jobs, reducing inequalities, increasing hope where there was once pessimism, that the or suffered blood-letting or limb amputations, incomes, and enhancing health and well-being. world may be able to reduce its dependence on before society finally recognized that preparations STI can help provide food and water security and fossil fuels before it is too late. from the bark of the Cinchona tree (now known access to energy, and is central to the response to contain quinine) used for centuries by the to climate change and biodiversity loss. The people responding to these challenges – from Quechua people of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador heads of state and government, to ministers, actually cured the disease, often completely? More broadly, as nations work toward the resource managers, farmers and technicians – Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), science are often frustrated to find that the facts on the Applied science in many forms has value that is will be an indispensable ally, exploring the true ground are changing rapidly, and that the change universally accepted, as has been abundantly nature of complex problems, and pointing ways is accelerating, sometimes exponentially. This rapid demonstrated, for instance, in the success toward the most effective responses. change is a loud alarm bell, signaling the urgent of medical researchers to develop the Ebola need for science to keep pace. Climate change is vaccine quickly. Yet in many quarters science Science demonstrates its enormous value every just one global challenge for which this need for a is still not fully embraced as a prerequisite to day, yet much more needs to be accomplished. further massive increase in the efficacy of the science effective policy-making. For instance, scientists have tirelessly worked is clear. There are many such challenges including on increasing our understanding of the causes the spread of infectious diseases, the precipitous Meanwhile, basic research conducted with no and impacts of climate change. This research has decline in global biodiversity, population growth, specific application in mind – or curiosity-driven required new observations of the atmosphere, rich-poor gaps that are widening instead of research – has often produced breakthroughs. Even ocean, land, and ice as well as new integrated narrowing, and the degradation of the world’s though it may not provide immediate solutions, models. It has pulled together the research ocean. In many cases, greater efficacy may not basic science leads to new discoveries and new communities across disciplines of geoscience, require massive new funding. Research being knowledge, and offers new approaches, and is the engineering, and social science in order to address conducted by universities, private companies, fuel for new technologies and innovation. scientific questions at a system level and has served and governments can be extraordinarily valuable, as the foundation for the Intergovernmental Panel and lead to groundbreaking social innovation, Basic science and applied science are on Climate Change and other initiatives. Such especially if the results are harnessed effectively. interconnected and interdependent. They

11 complement each other so as to provide should push for and facilitate the establishment innovative solutions to the challenges humanity of international goals for research funding, faces on the way to sustainable development. both applied and curiosity-driven, and urge Science of both types needs to be recognized individual nations to achieve them. as a public good, integral to achieving our USGS EROS Data Center common goals. Science should at all times proceed with independence, diligence, and prudence. It is Scientific knowledge often takes years to work critical that the deliberative scientific process into policy development as was demonstrated in is followed and protected and that data and December 2015, when, at the 21st Conference of scientific results are readily available. Scientific the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on credibility is built upon rigor and reproducibility. Climate Change (COP21), 195 nations adopted Individual results taken out of broader scientific the Paris Agreement on Climate Change – a context can seem to be contradictory and not full quarter-century after the global scientific useful for policy decisions. For science to be community met in Geneva to tell the world that effective in informing policy it must reflect the climate change was indeed a significant threat, best aggregated knowledge available and be and largely caused by humans. The science was communicated clearly. necessary, but not sufficient. A great deal of advocacy and deliberation over many years was Science has value beyond its immediate subject needed before the Paris Agreement was reached. matter. For instance, international tensions are far more likely to be relieved when negotiations A dozen countries1 with strong STI systems are based on evidence and facts, rather than invest over 2.5 percent of their gross domestic preconceptions or beliefs. And science can be product in research and development, while an equalizer, an enabler of all people, especially The Aral Sea in Central Asia began some poorer countries view a one percent the most marginalized and vulnerable. Among disappearing in the 1960s because of the investment as a high target. Still, many many examples: advances in food science diversion of its two feeder rivers for agriculture countries fail to invest their share to fund an that have improved the nutrition of hundreds Left to right: 1977, 1998 and 2010 acceptable level of basic research.Developing of millions of people, and development of nations often underfund any but the most vaccines that have eradicated smallpox and applied research, perhaps understandably, but nearly eradicated other diseases such as polio. threatening thereby to widen the income gap Today, HIV infection is not the death sentence Basic science and with richer nations even further. The United it was only a few years ago, thanks to new Nations, through its Scientific Advisory Board, antiretroviral drugs that are now available applied science are 1 In 2014, these countries were: Israel 4.2%, South Korea throughout the world. Science is certain to 3.6%, Finland 3.5%, Sweden 3.4%, Japan 3.4%, Germany play a major role in confronting such global interconnected and 2.9%, Switzerland 2.9%, Denmark 2.9%, United States challenges in the future. 2.8%, Austria 2.8%, Singapore 2.7%, Qatar 2.7%. See 2014 Global R&D Funding Forecast, Battelle. interdependent.

12 RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Scientists, policy-makers, and societal leaders should strongly advocate for public awareness of science as a public good and for public understanding of scientific knowledge and methods. The United Nations should take leadership of this campaign.

2. Scientific research – both basic and applied – deserves greater support from all nations. Even the poorest countries should invest a minimum of one percent of gross domestic product in research, and more advanced nations should invest three percent or more.

3. At every step, scientists must be vigilant in assuring that they are narrowing, and not widening, income and opportunity gaps.

4. It is critical that needed policies be implemented effectively. To that end, the implementers need to use science to the utmost, to determine if their actions are producing the desired results. Science is critical to discovering the detailed No one thinks the United Nations can or should nature of multifaceted challenges, and to provide solutions to all the world’s great 5. Scientists also need to learn more about formulating the policies that will respond to them challenges, or even be the leader in each of those policy-making and implementation to most powerfully. Science is also fundamental quests. But the world surely has a right to expect engage more productively with the to measuring outcomes, establishing causality and even demand that the United Nations deliver policy community. and encouraging the deployment of the what no other institution can: setting global most effective possible strategies. In a word, priorities, promoting and coordinating research 6. Training institutes for scientists and for implementation of those strategies is crucial, and action to address the most challenging policy-makers at all levels should be and the implementers must work hand-in-hand problems, enabling the effective worldwide use established, as one element of capacity with the scientists. of all data – in effect, building policies with bricks. building, both nationally and regionally.

13 mobile phone connectivity in remote locations-developing countries

Access to data: empowering women in Sudan UN Photo/JC McIlwaine Photo/JC UN

14

DATA: The revolution

he “Data Revolution”, the near-explosive rigorous approach will be needed to ensure that growth in the volume of information, the implementation of the SDGs is driven by the T raises both opportunities and concerns best available science, supported by data, with in several areas: established cause and effect.

What is the quality of the data and how The rise of “big data” in particular opens new are they collected? possibilities. Certainly the solid scientific underpinnings of the Paris Agreement relied How are they used? heavily on an abundance of data. Some How can the world community deal disciplines have more experience than others with equity issues arising from differing in dealing with such material, and offer models abilities to access and make use of this from which others can learn. fountain of information to transform it into useable robust knowledge? At the same time that data are rapidly becoming more plentiful and more useful, the Board has The benefits, clearly, are enormous. Most broadly, given priority as well to issues of equity. That focus the data enable us to look at the earth as an has been strong and consistent. It is essential integrated system, encouraging scientists to use that the Data Revolution reduces, rather than them in an integrated fashion. The approaches entrenches, the data divide between rich and poor to the sharing of big data/information should and men and women. Above all, this should be a draw from the rich experience acquired from revolution for equity in access and use of data. techniques developed for the analysis and sharing of meteorological data and particle physics data, as But when it comes to equity, good intentions well as the sharing of biodiversity, public health, and are only a start. To actually achieve a reduction agricultural production data. These are exemplars in the data divide, the commitment will have to of areas in which successful methods have been be unwavering, the efforts relentless. developed for the sharing of big data/information by multiple organizations across the world. There are steps to take, such as assuring that stakeholders from multiple perspectives are The Scientific Advisory Board urges an intense recruited to join in evaluating data and helping and steady focus on the quality of data, so that to plan how it will be used. Indeed, the United whenever possible the results establish causality Nations, through its numerous agencies, is and do not simply describe correlation. Such a uniquely positioned to facilitate the collection

15 of various types of data with an eye to quality, Information meeting on Science for RECOMMENDATIONS equitable access and sharing, including privacy Sustainable Development: Scientific issues, and effective use. Advisory Board members and the President of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris, 1. Data platforms should be harmonized and December 2014 standardized to increase accessibility and encourage exchange. UNESCO

2. International collaborations on data science and technology research are urgently required, especially to support countries with limited information, institutional, and technological capacity.

3. Adequate data infrastructure and policies should be created to deal with issues such as privacy, data access, data integrity, data preservation, and the control of the quality of data and repositories of data.

4. World leaders and the scientific community should encourage collectors of data, whether sovereign nations or other entities, to share it.

5. The United Nations should initiate a multidisciplinary international research The Scientific Advisory Board urges an project, including a diverse group of stakeholders, to examine how the highest- possible quality of data can be identified intense and steady focus on the quality and developed for the implementation of the SDGs. of data, so that whenever possible the

6. Since data collectors and providers results establish causality and do not frequently have little understanding of the cultures and needs of data users, and vice simply describe correlation. versa, a much stronger symbiosis between the two needs to be encouraged.

16 SCIENCE–POLICY–SOCIETY INTERFACE: The road to sustainability

limate change, population growth, and including a diversity of stakeholders, from No other organization rivals the United Nations the deterioration of the world’s ocean government, civil society, indigenous peoples in its ability to nurture the connections of Care all examples of global problems and local communities, businesses, academia, science, policy and society that are so urgently caused by multiple stressors, and which will and research organizations. To be effective, needed now, and to do so with a global purview. require multiple solutions applied multiple cooperative effort of that breadth will need more Who else, for instance, would pull together times. As just one example, the ocean is not than the occasional serendipitous interaction a group of world leaders into a High-Level only threatened by temperature rise and the of different groups of society. It will need an Political Forum in an effort to strengthen these concomitant sea level rise, but also by changes institutionalized architecture that convenes connections? For the science-policy-society in circulation, different patterns of mixing, all affected parties to assure that scientific interface to be effective, it is critical for science acidification, deoxygenation, overfishing, knowledge is utilized fully so that policy-making to be drawn into the decision-making process pollution, and human litter. is evidence-based. more systematically, for science to take on current social problems, and for science to be Because of the complexity and scope of such The United Nations possesses the unmatched communicated effectively to political leaders problems, and because in some cases the ability to provide this architecture, and is doing and the larger society. The UN High-Level dangers are not only increasing but accelerating, so now in many ways and at many levels. Yet the Political Forum encourages this process, and its new approaches are needed. architecture needs to be improved substantially. role deserves to be reinforced. Frequently, science provides compelling In this context, much attention is paid to the evidence of serious and irreversible threats to the When considering the science-policy-society “science-policy interface,” and appropriately environment and to human well-being posed interface, it is important to remember that so. Science without policy can be scattered and by particular courses of action, yet these actions scientists and decision-makers by nature often fruitless. Policy without science usually are pursued nonetheless. Indeed, decisions are operate from different priorities, and are subject fails to accomplish the immediate goal, and often taken in response to short-term economic to different forms of accountability. The arrow of undermines confidence that the next policy will and political interests, rather than the long-term influence points in both directions. Yes, policy- be any better. When science and policy unite, interests of people and the planet. So there is a makers often respond to short-term dictates that the chances of success increase greatly. need for wider recognition of science as a public pay too little attention to the more fundamental, good – one which, by its nature, takes the long long-term view set out by science. But it is also Indeed, what is really needed is an efficient view. Once achieved, this recognition would true that many scientists focus on research and science-policy-society interface that will warn public officials and other societal leaders publishing peer-reviewed papers, and are not create and make use of a holistic framework to ignore scientific evidence at their peril. familiar with the complexities and practical

17 problems associated with policy-making and implementation. The United Nations can and should take steps to encourage mutual understanding, and thereby to make the interface more fruitful.

The “society” part of this interface includes “politics,” in the sense that the people, through political consensus, are the ones to assess science-informed policy options and carry out the chosen strategies. And it also includes private businesses, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders. Scientific inputs are critical to our understanding of the drivers of global change and of its multi-faceted, complex impacts. These are also fundamental to the legitimacy of efforts to control the problem and to the creation of a growing slate of available and affordable solutions.

Adequate funding for research that is policy- relevant can produce formidable scientific results that can lead in turn to policy initiatives of UN Photo/Dwi Kristiyadi global societal and environmental importance.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at Decision-making frameworks must be the World Economic Forum launch developed that lead policy-makers toward the of the Sustainable Development right decisions; this will require full use of the Goals, in January 2016 best science available, and often the generation of new science. And just as one policy will not suffice to tackle any such multiple stressor issue, one policy-maker will not do, either. People from different backgrounds, different cultures, and different disciplines will have to come together in those frameworks to produce the best decisions. In most instances, repeated interactions will be essential to optimal outcomes.

18 This does not mean that all actions will be leaders and societal groups in ways that are GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE reduced to an average. The independent-minded accessible and comprehensible. DEVELOPMENT REPORT scientist or policy-maker or advocate who clings 2016 EDITION passionately to a divergent belief must have the Another critical need is the design and ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION courage to speak out, and, where there is merit, implementation of systematic monitoring and decision-makers must listen, and have the evaluation systems to gauge progress toward courage to be persuaded. But even when such the attainment of the SDGs and their related individuals produce real breakthroughs, the targets. Evidence-based implementation and next steps will be taken collegially. Increasingly, monitoring will be crucial to understanding leadership will mean interaction – the sharing successes and failures. of information and policymaking – the sharing of power. Information is indeed power, and effective communication is urgently needed if the world Keys to success will be the science, and how community is to be engaged in decision-making. it is communicated. It is critical for science to This means not only better communication be engaged in the decision-making process within the scientific community, or among more systematically, synthesized in ways that policy-makers, or between politicians and are relevant to current societal problems and citizens, but among all those with a stake in the challenges, and communicated to political outcomes.

MIGHT So there is a need for wider recognition of science as a public good – one which, by its nature, takes the long view.

Members of the Scientific Advisory Board in discussion at the 3rd meeting, Malaysia, May 2015

19 RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Existing bodies such as the national 4. The United Nations should make greater academies of science and the UN Scientific use of its Global Sustainable Development Advisory Board should engage more Report by elevating it to the level of a systematically in reviewing existing flagship global publication, engaging the programmes and in preparing new scientific community in its production, initiatives, thus laying the ground for and ensuring that it focuses on major scientifically informed policy-making. challenges and contains offerings from a broad range of scientific bodies. 2. Science needs to be adequately represented in the emerging 5. Decision-makers who would benefit from implementation and review architecture scientific knowledge should make science an of the 2030 Agenda within the United integral part of their design from the start. Nations, especially with regard to the High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable 6. Transparency is a must, both to make the Development; the Global Sustainable scientific expertise more objective, and Development Report; the Technology also to minimize the influence of special Facilitation Mechanism and its Science, interests. A relationship that would be Technology and Innovation Forum for the an outright conflict of interest when Sustainable Development Goals. kept secret might turn into a valuable confluence of interests if everyone 3. The United Nations should strengthen understands what those interests are. the High-Level Political Forum, and its use of science, through convening regular 7. To ensure a continuing flow of creative scientific conferences in advance of HLPF scientists with the skills and training that sessions and through representation of the will be needed as technology becomes ever Scientific Advisory Board as an advisor, or more complex, countries should promote preferably as a sitting member. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in their schools.

20 A woman educates about the polio vaccination campaign in Darfur, Sudan UN Photo/JC McIlwaine Photo/JC UN

21 REDUCING INEQUALITIES: A global imperative

ince the Scientific Advisory Board’s Indeed, “Reduced Inequalities” is one of 17 to industrial production, environmental inception, helping the United Nations SDGs for 2030, but is closely linked to many remediation, and management. The focus Sto reduce inequalities has been a core others, such as eradicating poverty and hunger. should be on inclusive approaches centered on goal. There has been progress, particularly Still, nearly 1 billion people live in extreme knowledge of all types that have withstood the among the most vulnerable nations, many poverty, and 800 million are malnourished. test of time. of which have improved their standing compared with more developed countries. Clearly, these goals must be pursued holistically; This last point is crucial. If efforts to reduce But by several measures, economic and the income gap will not shrink significantly until disparities employ a top-down approach that opportunity gaps within poor nations are the opportunity gap closes; quality education assumes that larger and richer countries have widening. In developing countries, income cannot be delivered in classrooms full of ill or all the right answers, this can contribute to inequality rose by 11 percent between 1990 hungry children. the homogenizing effects of globalization. and 2010. According to a recent (June, 2016) But this is emphatically a two-way street. UNICEF report, children born in sub-Saharan Strategic investments in science, technology, and There are many ways in which knowledge Africa are 12 times more likely than children innovation should focus on sustainable solutions produced in developing countries can be used in high-income countries to die before their that are co-designed and co-owned by all. This to solve problems in developed countries. The fifth birthday, just as they were in 1990. strategy should include investments in science knowledge required for addressing the complex education; novel alternative energy solutions; problems of the 21st century will need to Large disparities persist in access to health new robust building materials from locally include the vital contribution of indigenous and care, to education that is effective enough to available materials; nanotechnology for health local peoples and the experimental evidence lift children out of poverty, and to other assets. and agriculture; and biological approaches they generate.

Examples abound: The devastating Indian The focus should be on inclusive Ocean tsunami of 2004 took some 200,000 lives, but the Moken peoples of the Surin approaches centered on Islands in Thailand remained unharmed. Though none had experienced a tsunami, they knowledge of all types that have knew the signs – knowledge passed down through generations – telling them to move withstood the test of time. swiftly to higher ground. A different example:

22 the often-controversial shifting or swidden fields of science have long been dominated agriculture, involving the rotational clearing by male voices. Greater gender balance can RECOMMENDATIONS and sometimes burning of plots, is opposed only produce better analysis and better policy- by large-scale producers. However, in many of making. The Scientific Advisory Board believes 1. The United Nations should adopt and the tropical forests of Asia, Latin America, and that its own make-up – intentionally half men encourage robust, holistic policies that Africa, through better management of land use and half women – has fostered vigorous debate recognize the forces linking such factors as pressures and respect for customary tenures, and healthy collaboration, with results that are health, education, opportunity, incomes, full rotation could enhance productivity and likely more comprehensive and constructive social mobility, and nutrition. sustain biodiversity. than would be the case otherwise. 2. Science education deserves special Gender inequality is another persistent The best policies, responding even to society’s attention because it lags badly in many disparity. Women make up half the world’s largest problems, will likely emerge when all less-developed countries, and also because population, but they do not play a significant – men and women, rich and poor – are at the persons well trained in science would role in the world’s policy-making. Candidly, most table, interacting. improve not only their own families’ incomes and prospects, but those of their nations as well.

3. The United Nations should consider establishing centers of excellence in developing countries, with high schools and colleges around them, as preparation for the next generation of scientists. UN Photo/Marco Dormino 4. At every turn, women should have the opportunity to engage fully – not in the interest of equality alone, but in the interest of the best outcomes.

5. In this sustainable development era, science should incorporate all valuable inputs, including from indigenous and local knowledge systems.

Children conduct classroom science experiment in Harar, Ethiopia

23 THE DELPHI STUDY:

Identifying grand challenges RECOMMENDATIONS

ne key asset of the UN Scientific Advisory development and implementation of policies 1. The United Nations should seek a broader Board is its ability to take a global needed to respond to global challenges. audience for the Delphi study findings Operspective. This allowed the Board through active outreach, moving them to make a fresh assessment of some of the most Science itself cannot be categorized as a special from science to policy and to society. pressing global challenges. Eight grand challenges interest or even as a useful tool, but must be emerged in May 2015 from a Delphi study2 initiated seen as integral to any serious consideration 2. To address these grand challenges the the year before in which the UN Secretary-General, of the challenges we face, the powerful policies United Nations should press for greater that will be needed to surmount them, and collaboration among international science Ban Ki-moon, invited the Board to identify “scientific networks, including professional societies the development of adaptation and mitigation concerns about the future of people and the planet.” and academies, and indigenous and local strategies and technologies. knowledge holders. These issues are addressed in detail in the Delphi study on the Top Challenges for the Future of Humanity and the Planet (SAB/4/INF/7).3

Immediately clear from the list of grand challenges Scientific concerns about the future and the planet is that these cannot be categorized as “scientific concerns” alone, but as serious problems for 1. Improving ocean science and governance 5. Averting human disasters through prediction the entire world community. The Board’s Delphi for the development of sustainable ocean of extreme environmental events study could therefore help prioritize actionable knowledge-based economies Changing the fossil fuel paradigm through ideas of use in pursuit of the SDGs, and could 6. 2. Reversing global biodiversity loss and creating development of affordable emissions free also stimulate long-range thinking about the a new paradigm for the global tropics technologies

3. Developing a global strategy and response 7. Providing potable water for all system to fight infectious diseases and The Delphi method is used to distill knowledge and build re- 2 antibiotic resistance 8. Addressing the nexus of stressed planetary liable consensus among experts who may not be in the same resources such as water, food, and energy, geographical location. In this case it involved three rounds of Ensuring national public investments their unequal use, and population growth structured, sequential questioning of the members of the UN 4. in basic research as a fraction of GDP Scientific Advisory Board, with controlled feedback. (0.2–1 percent) 3 http://en.unesco.org/un-sab/sites/un-sab/files/SAB_4_ INF_7_Dephi_Study.pdf

24 UN Photo/Marco Dormino

Solar power: Changing the fossil fuel paradigm through development of affordable emissions free technologies

25 The Scientific Advisory Board 4th meeting in St Petersburg, Russian Federation, December 2015 National Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO for Federation Russian the of Commission National

26 THE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD: Moving forward

he Scientific Advisory Board is a unique The transition to this new era is not understood and pioneering experiment. Its work has fully, but the responsibility to grasp its The Board Thelped create a strong foundation for consequences as rapidly as possible is clear. the United Nations’ core mission going forward. There can be no reluctance to “tackle the big urgently needs Many nations and organizations, indeed a issues,” the Secretary-General said at the time. number of other UN agencies, turn to appointed And to this end, one certainty is that: an independent science advisors or advisory committees for counsel on scientific matters. But there is no “We need more integrated policies… scientific funding stream other body that has the global scale and high- approaches that overcome barriers… a holistic level audience of the UN Scientific Advisory vision of the challenges… and local and global to support its Board, appointed by the UN Secretary-General; political leadership informed by solid science.” the broad scope of its mandate; and the work between the diversity of disciplines, experience, and national Members of the Scientific Advisory Board backgrounds. believe that the Board’s work has answered this formal meetings call. The Board has responded to inquiries from Sustainable development is now the core of the the Secretary-General, such as the policy brief on and facilitate the United Nations’ mandate. Science will be critical the data revolution that emphasizes the need to to the implementation of the new global goals, avoid widening the rich/poor information gap. It convening of and scientists will be necessary partners. One has done significant work on its own initiative, can expect progress on the 17 SDGs if policy- such as the report highlighting the value of local Board meetings in makers employ and engage science well. and indigenous knowledge. It has supported other work by the United Nations and the global countries around In his remarks to the inaugural meeting of community, such as the policy brief on the risks the UN Scientific Advisory Board in January of climate change. And it has eagerly tackled the world. 2014 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted big issues, as in the Delphi study of grand humanity’s entrance into a new era of the challenges. Anthropocene where human activity has a direct and measurable impact on the planet’s life- In a survey of Board members conducted for this support systems. report, the majority says they believe the Board

27 has been effective by a number of measures, The Board reports that it has benefitted from its The UN Scientific Advisory Board is situated at though more so, initially with the Secretary- gender parity; from the diversity of disciplines, the nexus of these issues, uniquely positioned to General than with UN agencies. experience, and national backgrounds of its ensure that priorities are set, focus is maintained, membership; and from a growing collegiality. the right parties are convened, investments The survey also reflects nearly unanimous are made, data are mined, challenges are agreement that UNESCO has effectively Looking ahead, one task that the Board, communicated, and optimal decisions are made, provided the secretariat functions for the UN in collaboration with others, could readily because they are based on solid science. The Scientific Advisory Board even in the face of undertake is to determine and map the various Board, through its focus on science, technology, severe financial challenges. However, the science advisory mechanisms within the UN, in and innovation, sees itself as a driver and enabler Board urgently needs an independent funding the interest both of efficiency and effectiveness. of an inclusive and people-centered sustainable stream to support its work between the formal development agenda. meetings and facilitate the convening of Board More broadly, the Board promises to become even meetings in countries around the world. To more important as the world takes up the work of Several suggestions for the governance of the date, the five Board meetings have been fully overcoming global challenges. As the Secretary- Board in its next chapter are enumerated below. supported by the host governments and by General’s admonition suggests, policies will be UNESCO rather than by a dedicated budget for able to respond adequately only if they are clear, its operations. agreed-upon, and powerful, and such policies will be developed only if science is fully engaged. RECOMMENDATIONS The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with Chairperson, Irina Bokova, and members of the 1. The Board is ready to take on a more visible Scientific Advisory board, in New York, July 2015 and active engagement with the scientific community.

2. A focal point for the Board within the office of the Secretary-General should be established. This would foster better

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Photo/Eskinder UN communication with the Secretary-General as well as a range of UN agencies.

3. The Board recommends a well-resourced secretariat, exclusively working for the Board.

4. Members believe the Board has gradually developed a strong sense of collegiality that has heightened its effectiveness and recommend staggered terms of service – providing both refreshment and continuity.

28 ICTP Photo Archives

Members of the Scientific Advisory Board and observers at Board’s 5th meeting in Trieste, Italy, May 2016, at The Abdus Salam International Centre ICTP Photo Archives for Theoretical Physics

Scientific Advisory Board members at work

29 UN headquarters, New York: projection of the 17 SDGs to raise awareness about the 2030 Agenda UN Photo/Cia Pak Photo/Cia UN

30 CONCLUSION

his report builds on the work of all implementation. Likewise, where solutions to members of the UN Secretary-General’s global problems are not yet clear, it is science Scientific Advisory Board, including that is pointing ways toward finding them. T UNITED NATIONS numerous discussions, presentations, meetings, and policy briefs. Recent experience proves that science can be not only strong but fast, that breakthroughs If the Board were seeking to make headlines often occur when least expected, and that TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD: with this report, we could focus on some of the scientists and policy-makers, working together, world›s most challenging threats, and describe need not be intimidated by even the world’s trend lines that are now headed toward places most formidable challenges. The eradication of where no one wants to go. This would be fully once-devastating diseases, rapid improvements justified. Yes, it is possible that climate change in agriculture, and the response to climate THE 2030 AGENDA FOR can cause catastrophic harm in decades, not change are examples that illustrate this vividly; SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT centuries; that population growth will accelerate, there are and will be others. especially in the world›s poorest countries; that international conflicts will become more It is true, of course, that the application of frequent because of disputes over water rights, science can also have harmful effects. Science food, economic pressures, and unequal access should be characterized by independence, to information. diligence, prudence, and humility. The scientific community has to reflect on its responsibility to But we choose instead to take a more optimistic society and the planet and be aware of possible tone. We believe that solutions to many of the misuse of its work. most pressing problems are essentially known now, and those problems can be mitigated It is universally acknowledged that the first effectively if approached cooperatively and if step toward solving a problem is to name world powers contribute the resources required it. The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for to implement the solutions. Achieving the Sustainable Development makes long strides needed level of cooperation will be far more in that direction through its 17 Sustainable likely if science is used to describe the problems Development Goals and 169 targets. All, or accurately, to point to the needed policy nearly all, of these rely on science in one fashion responses convincingly, and to enable effective or another.

31 This underlines one of our central messages: that science is not an add-on but an integral part of the response to all these challenges, that indeed the only way we can have confidence

in the world’s ability to surmount some pretty Chiang-Joo Pilar UNESCO/ daunting threats is if the policies we rely on are built, brick by brick, by science.

And even beyond the specific global challenges, this Scientific Advisory Board believes the United Nations has shown that the effective convening of the world community to confront its most serious challenges has itself eased global tensions. All parties are much more likely to work together if the essential problems are understood, and the necessary policies agreed- upon. Critical to this is the power of science to identify the fundamental problems with certainty, and to discover the optimal policies.

The UN Scientific Advisory Board has provided the foundation for interdisciplinary scientific advice to the UN Secretary-General. In coming years, it can work with UN agencies and the broader scientific community to engage science systematically and sustainably as the United Celebration of World Science Day at UNESCO Nations seeks to resolve global problems and Headquarters facilitate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The United Nations has shown admirable It is universally acknowledged leadership in science-informed global policy- making at the highest levels. In the age of the that the first step toward solving Anthropocene, it will have the opportunity – and in truth the obligation – to provide even more. a problem is to name it.

32 www.unsgsab.org

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