ANNUAL REPORT 2018 2 International Science Council

The International Science Council (ISC) is a non-governmental organization with a unique global membership that brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organizations including Academies and Research Councils. The ISC was created in 2018 as the result of a merger between the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the International Social Science Council (ISSC).

Front Cover: Photo of a silver fern by Sandy Millar on Unsplash. The Māori word for this tightly furled frond is “koru”, and it signifies new life, new beginnings. council.science/AnnualReport2018

Work with the ISC to advance science as a global public good.

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CONTENTS 1. Our Organization 4 Message from the President and CEO 6 Our Vision, Mission and Values 8 Our Launch 8 A global voice for science in the contemporary world, by Craig Calhoun 10 2. Our Global Reach 14 Activities and Impact 16 i. Headquarters 16 ii. Regional Offices 20 Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in Science 23 Co-sponsored Programmes 24 3. Our Governance 28 Governing Board 28 Finances 30 4. Our Members 32 5. Our Future 36 Action Plan 2019-2021 38 Confronting the Problems of Our Time, by Ismail Serageldin 38 4 International Science Council

1 OUR ORGANIZATION

Photo: Heide Hackmann and Daya Reddy Message from ISC President, Daya Reddy and CEO, Heide Hackmann: With the creation of the International Science Council, 2018 marked a milestone in the world of international science. As we publish our first Annual Report, it is appropriate to reflect on the process that led to the merger of our two predecessor organizations, the International Social Science Council (ISSC) and the International Council for Science (ICSU). We acknowledge and thank all our members for their support of the merger: those who served on task teams to prepare the process; the individuals who served on our executive boards and committees; leaders of unions and associations, regional and national committees; members of the Secretariat past and present; and more widely the supporters and critical friends who have helped us shape the vision and mission of the International Science Council. We are particularly grateful to Gordon McBean, past President of ICSU, and Alberto Martinelli, past President of the ISSC, for their leadership throughout the merger process. ...continued page 6 Annual Report 2018 5 6 International Science Council

The first General Assembly and launch of the and our meetings with partners from the wider Council in July 2018 was undoubtedly a highlight of science and policy community have demonstrated the year, bringing together representatives from our that there is real interest in and appetite for an members across the world at the Maison des Océans emboldened International Science Council that can in Paris. We thank the Académie des Sciences for represent all disciplines and can catalyse trans- hosting the launch event and General Assembly, and national, inter- and trans-disciplinary activities in for helping to make the events memorable. addressing today’s global priorities. At the launch of the Council, together with our As we proceed to implement plans for new activities members, we set ourselves a bold mission: to be a and seek to boost the visibility of the new Council, powerful, prominent and credible voice for science it is an opportune moment to re-examine our place at the global level. The new Council should make the in the global science landscape and to re-state our case for the value of all science as a global public good, commitment to the key principles that have driven universally accessible and its benefits universally the Council since its earliest beginnings almost 100 shared. The ISC builds on the impressive legacy of years ago as the International Research Council its predecessor organizations, yet it must continue (IRC). As several of our scientific union members to learn from their experiences, and – crucially – it prepare for centenary celebrations, it is pertinent must be greater than the sum of its parts. to ask: what is the role of international science collaboration today? In order to fulfil this mission, the ISC must work harder to promote and defend science as a source As a scientific community, we are more connected of innovative solutions to global challenges, of than ever before, more accustomed to working critical evidence to inform decision-making, and across disciplines and continents, and yet barriers of inspiration and wonder for future generations. to mobility and academic freedom persist. Scientific Meeting the ambitions for the ISC will depend practice is weakened by enormous inequalities on active engagement with its members, and in access to knowledge and to facilities. There is on managing relationships with the Council’s still work to do to nurture a culture of scientific key partners. cooperation, exchange and benefit sharing, and to protect and promote the freedom of science. This work has now begun in earnest, with the newly elected Governing Board members leading The science system itself is also confronting the development of three-year action plans for sweeping and potentially disruptive changes, from science, for outreach and engagement, for regional the impact of advanced digital technologies and engagement, and for freedom and responsibility artificial intelligence, to a re-consideration of forms in science. We were heartened by the constructive of scientific publishing around the aims of open and detailed feedback from members on the science. The ISC must establish itself as a leader development of our science plan in recent months, in addressing challenges in the evolving system Annual Report 2018 7

of science, and establishing principles for the In considering the very large range of activities responsible conduct of science and scientists. that the ISC has inherited and the many issues on which it is expected to lead within the four core The creation of the ISC also comes at a time when action areas described above, the Council must we’re experiencing major changes in the geopolitical make judgements as to which are uniquely relevant landscape, and the emergence of new players in to its members and the broader community, and the international fora which the Council seeks to thus central to the ISC mission. In 2019, we will influence. It is essential that the Council continues publish more detailed plans for the coming years, to promote the use of scientific evidence to inform in order to move the vision of the ISC towards a policy at every level of governance, and to make the realisable goal. Our engagements throughout 2018 case for increased understanding as a driver and the overwhelming support for the merger have of progress and human development. suggested that there is broad support – and demand Whilst public trust in science remains high, new – for the ISC’s scientific aims, and a desire on the online media have amplified the spread of scientific part of our broad and active membership to move misinformation on topics such as environmental forward with a new, exciting agenda. change and vaccination. Simply sharing more This report sets out our highlights and key impacts of scientific information has not worked. We need to find the year from before, and after, the inspiring launch new ways of increasing trust in and engagement with events in July. We hope that you will enjoy reading it. science: through the newly established Committee for Outreach and Engagement the Council will work towards a better understanding of science across all Daya Reddy sectors of society, in order to strengthen the ability of President science to serve the public good. International Science Council Since their election in 2018, Governing Board members have worked to frame this mission Heide Hackmann around four strategic domains which will guide our CEO activities in the coming years: International Science Council 1. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development } 2. The Digital Revolution } 3. Science in Policy and Public Discourse } 4. The Evolution of Science and Science Systems } 8 International Science Council

OUR VISION The founding General Assembly of the new Photo: Chin- organization was held on 3 and 4 July 2018, where Chun Yi, from the International The vision of the Council is to advance science as a the combined membership of ICSU and the ISSC Sociological global public good. Scientific knowledge, data and elected their representatives on the governing Association expertise must be universally accessible and its structures of the new Council. Representatives benefits universally shared. The practice of science of the Council’s members elected Daya Reddy, a must be inclusive and equitable, also in opportunities mathematician from South Africa, to be the first for scientific education and capacity development. President. Peter Gluckman, the former Chief Science Adviser to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, became the President-elect, and will assume the OUR MISSION Presidency durning the next General Assembly in 2021. The mission of the International Science Council is to act as the global voice for science. As part of that The ISC’s membership elected Elisa Reis (Vice- mission, the ISC: President), Jinghai Li (Vice-President), Alik Ismail- Zadeh (Secretary) and Renée van Kessel (Treasurer) i. Speaks for the value of all science and evidence- as executive Members, and Geoffrey Boulton, informed decision-making; Melody Burkins, Saths Cooper, Anna Davies, Pearl ii. Stimulates and supports international scientific Dykstra, Sirimali Fernando, Ruth Fincher, James research and scholarship on major issues of C. Liao, Natalia Tarasova and Martin Visbeck as global concern; ordinary Members. iii. Articulates scientific knowledge on such issues in the public domain; “ We have set ourselves an ambitious iv. Promotes the continued and equal advancement goal to be a powerful, visible, credible of scientific rigour, creativity and relevance in voice for science. There’s no time to all parts of the world; waste. Let’s get to work!” Daya Reddy v. Defends the free and responsible practice accepting his position as inaugural of science. President of the International Science Council. OUR VALUES

The core values to be upheld in the Council’s work, The ISC’s high-level strategy, “Advancing science governance and partnerships are: as a global public good” was also launched at this time. That strategy has now been turned into an i. Excellence and professionalism; Action Plan that sets the agenda for the ISC from ii. Inclusivity and diversity; 2019-2021. iii. Transparency and integrity; and The ISC was inaugurated on 5 July 2018 at the Maison des Océans in Paris, which also included iv. Innovation and sustainability. panel sessions as part of an International Science Day. The programme featured leading scientists including Craig Calhoun, Esther Duflo, Ismail OUR LAUNCH Serageldin and Cedric Villani, who showcased the priorities for the new organization – freedom and The merger of the International Council for Science responsibility in science and advancing science as a (ICSU) and the International Social Science global public good. Council (ISSC) forged a new organization – the International Science Council – to advance the creativity, rigour and relevance of science worldwide. It created a unified, global voice for science, with a powerful presence in all regions of the world and representation across the natural (including physical, mathematical and life) and social (including behavioural and economic) sciences. Annual Report 2018 9 10 International Science Council

THE ISC: A GLOBAL VOICE We celebrate the unity of science, including physical, FOR SCIENCE IN THE natural, and social sciences; and including basic and CONTEMPORARY WORLD, applied science. The merger of ICSU and ISSC is, in part, an achievement based on this idea. Yet we must BY CRAIG CALHOUN not become complacent. We have demonstrated the unity of science, the coherence of a scientific vision Renowned sociologist Craig Calhoun delivered a and the importance of a global voice for science keynote address at the ISC’s launch on 5 July 2018. for ourselves, but that does not mean that we have The adapted version below provides for demonstrated these goods in the world at large. We compelling reading. live in a troubled world, in which the very idea of The creation of the International Science truth and knowledge is questioned in many settings. Council and its mission to be a global voice for We live in a world that needs a more coherent global science are of enormous importance. Yet as we voice for science, but we need to ask ourselves who is celebrate the new organization, we must also listening and how to start a conversation. recognize that it faces challenges. Indeed, science Only by working together can we face up to a itself and even knowledge, face challenges in the mistrust of experts. We have to admit that we have contemporary world. sometimes let our knowledge be coupled uncritically As members of the scientific community, we stand to projects that have deepened divides. We need to for research-based knowledge, and for publishing collaborate across institutions, national boundaries, our research so that it can be debated, critiqued and and prestige hierarchies to counteract suspicion challenged. When we speak of the scientific method, of science and fears that science is elitist. Without we speak of the combination of logic, evidence and working to deepen understanding of both the public communication; of reasoning, gathering facts, and and policy-makers we risk inadequate policies making our findings available for critical evaluation and regulations. Finally, we need to recognize the and improvement. This is part of the basic idea of challenge of inadequate public investment in science science, underpinned by a commitment to humility and in education. and to doubt that allows us to continually question Science is vulnerable in the era of fake news. Good how to achieve better knowledge. data can be manipulated, and both misstatements Today, these principles are accompanied by and deliberate deceptions circulate widely. We extraordinary capacities to create knowledge, have to be aware that the truth does not always with facilities such as CERN, born out of the automatically win out. Debates over climate change collaboration of governments and scientists from are an example of how persistent disinformation around the world. The enormous expansion of has distorted our understanding. To counteract knowledge institutions that enable science to the pattern of collapsing trust, we should not advance is to be celebrated. We see a diversification simply seek more trust, but trust in trustworthy of resources and of settings, with scientists sources. Finally, we need to recognize that science moving back and forth between universities and is not automatically all good, and its uses can be corporate research, posing new questions about how pernicious. What’s more, the benefits of science are proprietorial interests may affect scientific practice extremely unequally distributed, both between and and publishing. within countries. We also celebrate the use of knowledge. Science is The way to confront these challenges is to not just the accumulation of research findings, nor strengthen scientific collaboration. We need to work even the continued questioning of those findings, together to address the many forms of inequality it is also part of a larger social ecology in which that affect scientific practice, including the huge scientific knowledge is used to make and remake disparity in the number of researchers in the global the world and its inhabitants. In the contemporary north and south, and in opportunities to access world, scientific advances such as gene-editing are science. Despite our global institutions, we live in changing our understanding of ourselves and even an era of renewed nationalism, posing challenges to our physical beings. international scientific collaboration and mobility. In an era of disruption, we need to collaborate across geographic and other divides to understand the changing world around us. Annual Report 2018 11

We need to collaborate to address urgent societal issues, such as climate change, transformations of “ We live in a world that needs a more the human being, or the changing global political coherent global voice for science, but we economy, and to ensure maximal benefit from need to ask ourselves who is listening the new technologies emanating from science and research. and how to start a conversation” Craig In short, we need to work together to nurture more Calhoun, Professor of Social Sciences, trustworthy knowledge, to integrate fragmented Arizona State University. scientific knowledge, to build global networks, to inform the public and to inform policy-makers. We need to collaborate to advance the public good, which is at the very heart and nature of science itself. This is the role of the ISC, and it is needed now more than ever. 12 International Science Council

MERGER TIMELINE

OCTOBER 2015 NOVEMBER 2015 JANUARY 2016 Exchange of letters Agreement reached on First meeting of the joint between the ISSC and ICSU Terms of Reference for ICSU-ISSC Working Presidents on the future the Working Group of the Group to examine future relationship between the ISSC and ICSU executive relations between the two two Councils bodies to explore closer organizations institutional alignment, and possible amalgamation, between the two Councils

MAY 2017 MARCH 2017 FEBRUARY 2017 Members submit feedback Draft Strategy submitted to SWG submits a first Draft on Draft Strategy ISSC and ICSU members High-Level Strategy to the ISSC and ICSU Executives

30-31 MAY 2017 JUNE 2017 28-29 JUNE 2017 Strategy Working Group Transition Joint meeting of the ICSU meeting Task Force Meeting and ISSC Executives Second Draft Strategy submitted to the Executives of ISSC and ICSU

“ With the birth of the ISC, we’ve got a lot more international scientific unions and now a lot more national academies of sciences making this finally a truly global scientific institution perfectly equipped to solve those problems that need scientific expertise” Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Former Executive Director, International Council for Science (ICSU), 5 July 2018. Annual Report 2018 13

APRIL 2016 JUNE 2016 OCTOBER 2016 Executive bodies of ICSU Joint meeting of the ISSC At a joint meeting in Oslo, and ISSC follow the Working and ICSU Executives Norway, members of ICSU Group’s recommendation and ISSC agreed in principle for the two Councils to to merge the two Councils merge, and recommend and to develop detailed this course to the Councils’ transition plans towards a members single organization

JANUARY/ DECEMBER 2016 NOVEMBER 2016 FEBRUARY 2017 TTF and SWG appointed Transition planning process SWG and TTF hold their by the Executives of ISSC gets underway with a call for first meetings and ICSU nominations to members for a Strategy Working Group (SWG) and a Transition Task Force (TTF)

JULY 2017 23-26 OCTOBER 2017 MAY 2018 Circulation to members Vote in favour of the merger In electronic General of revised Draft Strategy, Assemblies members of In October 2017, members and of draft Statutes and the two councils approved of both councils voted proposed Transition plans the Merger Treaty, which overwhelmingly to merge, developed by the TTF set 30 June as official date launching a process to for the establishment of form a single global entity the International Science called the International Council. Science Council in 2018. Members also approved the High-Level strategy and Transition plans for the new organization.

3-5 JULY 2018 The first General Assembly of the International Science Council and election of the new executive governance body took place on 4 July 2018, in Paris, France, hosted by the Académie des Sciences.

14 International Science Council

OUR GLOBAL 2 REACH

The Council convenes the scientific expertise and resources needed to lead on catalysing, incubating and coordinating impactful international action on issues of major scientific and public importance. Our activities focus on three principle areas of work: • Science-for-policy to stimulate and support international scientific research and scholarship, and to communicate science that is relevant to international policy issues; • Policy-for-science to promote developments that enable science to contribute more effectively to major issues in the international public domain; and • Scientific freedom and responsibility to defend the free and responsible practice of science. With a broad range of co-sponsored international research programmes, networks and committees, the Council’s activities span a large range of issues, from global sustainability, poverty, urban health and wellbeing and disaster risk reduction, to data, observing systems and science advice to governments. The following pages outline our activities and impact in 2018 - from defending scientific freedom for researchers, to building capacity for early career scientists, to making the voice of science heard throughout the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – the ISC has hit the ground running in its first six months since the merger! Annual Report 2018 15 16 International Science Council

ACTIVITIES AND IMPACT

HEADQUARTERS “ The discussions here truly demonstrate ● World Social Science Forum that the contributions of the social The last four decades have seen the development sciences are vital for solving the most of new forms of war and conflict, environmental pressing challenges of the 21st century.” change, emerging risks from new technology, and growing tensions as a result of increasing numbers Kazuo Miyamoto, Senior Vice-President of refugees and displaced people. At the same time, of Kyushu University and Chair of the insecurity is increasingly being used to justify local organizing committee for the 2018 attacks on freedom and democracy. Security is one of the most critical issues of today, and its World Social Science Forum. various dimensions are connected in ways that make it impossible to address one aspect of security independently from the others. ● LIRA - Leading Integrated Research for Against this backdrop, the ISC brought together Agenda 2030 in Africa around 1,000 delegates and world renowned experts from about 80 countries for the World Social 2018 was the third year of implementation in the Science Forum, which took place in Fukuoka, Japan, five-year programme, in partnership with the in late September 2018. The theme was ‘Security Swedish International Development Cooperation and equality for sustainable futures’, with plenary Agengy (Sida) and in collaboration with the ISC and paper sessions focussing on cross-cutting issues Regional Office for Africa and the Network of African such as gender security, social progress, biosecurity, Science Academies (NASAC). The programme aims migrations, resilience, and the kind of research to develop the potential of next-generation scientists approaches needed to address the multidimensional in Africa to produce and communicate integrated realities of security. policy-relevant knowledge to inform policy processes such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Several ISC members, including many from Asia Development and the New Urban Agenda. and Africa, organized sessions and events, and helped provide an encompassing view of the variety To this end, LIRA awarded 11 collaborative research of security issues and their interconnections across projects across Africa in 2018. These projects, the world. A specially dedicated grant programme, together with non-academic partners (e.g. civil established with South Africa’s Human Sciences society, policy-makers, and private sector), are Research Council, to which several ISC members expected to examine the inherent complexity of and international organizations contributed, cities and to explore the interconnections, trade- helped support the participation of 26 early career offs and synergies between different dimensions of presenters from low-income countries. urban systems. The Forum was officially opened by Their Imperial Significant additional support to the programme Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess from the Robert Bosch Foundation in 2018 helped of Japan. In his opening speech, His Imperial to deliver additional capacity building activities to Highness Crown Prince Naruhito (who acceded the LIRA community. Workshops held throughout to the Throne on 1 May 2019, becoming Emperor the year included trainings on transdisciplinary of Japan), noted the importance of the Forum “for research, stakeholder engagement, application of scholars working in humanities, social sciences and theories of change in research projects, science natural sciences to discuss among themselves and communication and working collaboratively within work together for the world’s urgent issues”. an integrated team of diverse researchers. The Forum was organized by the ISC together with a consortium of local partners led by Kyushu University. The World Social Science Forum series was launched by the International Social Science Council in 2009 in Bergen, Norway. The 2018 event was the first Forum to take place in Asia, and the first international scientific event of the newly formed International Science Council. Annual Report 2018 17

“ I effectively learned in two compressed “ The United Nations Science, Technology days what I usually learn in more than and Innovation forum was a great a month. The trainers were able to take learning experience for me since I have the complex and make it simple. What never been to such a high-level global I liked best were the useful tips to select event. I was most surprised to learn stakeholders and keep them close and that the transdisciplinary approach of motivated during a Transdisciplinary LIRA is still quite novel! I also learned Research project. I also enjoyed that indigenous and local knowledge the engaging nature and the use of are now getting greater attention; real-life case studies to demonstrate which sits well with our LIRA work with how to negotiate the boundaries of communities. I noted that the LIRA team Transdisciplinary Research.” Blaise was well placed to present views from Nguendo-Yongsi, researcher in health the South on embedding research and geography and spatial epidemiology, engaging stakeholders.” Amollo Ambole, IFORD-University, Cameroon. researcher at the Institute of Climate Change and Adaptation, University of Nairobi.

In 2018, the LIRA programme also provided several opportunities for African early career scientists to present their research at international scientific events, to contribute to and learn from global policy processes, and to expand their scientific networks. The events included the UN Science, Technology Innovation (STI) Forum on Sustainable Development, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “Cities and Climate” Conference, the Next Einstein Forum and the Future Earth Seedbeds of Transformation, to name a few. 18 International Science Council

● The Transformations to Sustainability programme (T2S) Just Transition(s) to a The Sida-supported Transformations to Low-Carbon World Sustainability programme was launched in The concept of a ‘Just Transition’— the 2014 with the aim of supporting international idea that justice and equity must form an research teams led or jointly led by social scientists integral part of the transition towards a low- in the Global South to do solutions-oriented, carbon world — is gaining popularity as the transdisciplinary research on the social dimensions international community seeks to achieve the of sustainability and global environmental change. ambitious aims of the 2030 Agenda and the The three Transformative Knowledge Networks Paris Agreement on climate change. Yet not all funded by the programme, counting more than stakeholders agree on what ‘Just Transition’ 70 partner institutions and more than 200 really means, what a Just Transition might collaborators, will be formally wrapping up their look like, and how we should get there. Is ‘Just ISC-funded work in 2019. In 2018 they consolidated Transition’ just another buzzword? their research findings and began to produce the major outputs of their work. To examine some of these questions, and to bring voices from the social sciences and 2018 was also a year where early career researchers humanities into the ongoing debate, the T2S in the programme deepened their collaborations. team partnered with the Just Transition Several researchers were prominent at the Future Research Collaborative to develop an Earth ‘Seedbeds of Transformation’ conference online publication on the topic. Featuring in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in May, and 16 of contributions from scholars, civil society them jointly designed and organized a novel type of leaders and trade union representatives, the summer school – the ‘Living Aulas’ Research School 17 blog pieces were viewed over 8,000 times – in June in Colombia. in 2018, and include a contribution from T2S A partnership with the journal COSUST (Current early career researcher Rebecca Shelton. Opinion in Environmental Sustainability) to produce an ongoing virtual special issue on transformations to sustainability was established in December. The first original paper should appear in The ISC is also participating in the Belmont Forum– mid-2019, and at least one paper should appear in NORFACE joint programme on Transformations to every volume thereafter. A series of briefs, bringing Sustainability. Twelve projects were funded in 2018 peer-reviewed research on social transformations to the value of 11.5m EUR. The ISC is supporting to wider audiences, was launched with Ten research partners from low income countries in essentials for research that responds to the climate eight of those projects, with funding from Sida and challenge. The programme also produced 16 short the European Commission. The projects kicked off clips featuring interviews of T2S researchers, between September and November 2018 and will including early career researchers, filmed at the run for a maximum of three years. Transformations 2017 conference The new projects were publicly launched at the in Dundee, Scotland. World Social Science Forum in Fukuoka with a keynote talk by Institute of Development Studies (IDS) Director Melissa Leach. The full workshop report and presentations are available on the programme webpages. Annual Report 2018 19

“ Any of the challenges we seek to have Community Major Group, information-sharing impact on and help to solve cannot and community-building activities included the production of a Science X HLPF newsletter be solved without the very necessary reporting on the latest news from the scientific involvement of the social sciences” community working on the SDGs, which was well Heide Hackmann received by ISC members. The UN Habitat III process in 2015 adopted the new Urban Agenda as a framework for action globally towards sustainable urbanization. Since that ● 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable time, the ISC has worked with the urban scientific Development Goals community to reflect on the implications of the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda on the kind of The ISC is working to turn its flagship publication science required to meet the goals of the Urban A Guide to SDG interactions: from Science to Agenda. This collaboration resulted in a University implementation into a toolkit that countries and College London-Nature Sustainability expert panel decision-makers can use to inform their priority- report on the Future of Urban Science, which not setting and implementation strategy of the SDGs only called for stronger collaboration across a wide in different local contexts. To that end, the ISC and range of disciplines, but also stronger engagement the International Network for Government Science with decision-makers and practitioners at local Advice (INGSA) partnered with the International levels to address their knowledge needs. Institute on Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the European Commission Joint Research Center (JRC), and the Stockholm Environment Institute ● Intergovernmental Science-Policy (SEI) to develop the vision for a two-year project Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem that will produce an online software tool to map Services - IPBES interactions between SDGs areas, and design a multi-stakeholder process to facilitate a dialogue In 2018, the ISC was selected to coordinate the first between scientists, policy-makers and stakeholders external review of the Intergovernmental Science- to identify the most relevant interactions, and Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem support priority-setting for SDG implementation Services (IPBES) - an international mechanism and monitoring in their particular contexts. Support supported by 132 countries and established in from the Irish Environmental Agency was secured 2012 to assess the state of knowledge on nature for a pilot programme to be implemented in 2019. and its contributions to people, and support The concept was presented at the European Science decision-making to address biodiversity loss and Open Forum during July in Toulouse, France and ecosystems degradation. The ISC supported a 10 the INGSA conference in November, Tokyo, Japan. member-review panel, chaired by Professor Peter Bridgewater, and developed the methodology The Council champions the need for an integrated for evaluating the performance of the Platform approach to SDG implementation and the need to mobilizing a wide range of inputs from the scientific, build national Science Technology Innovation (STI) policy and stakeholder communities. systems to address the opportunities and challenges posed by the SDGs. This was evident at the UN STI Forum and the High-Level Political Forum in June and July respectively, in New York, United States. As co-cordinator of the Scientific and Technological 20 International Science Council

REGIONAL OFFICES Under the guidance of regional scientific committees, the offices promote the further development and strengthening of science in the context of regional priorities, and bring the science of developing countries closer to the ISC. The offices also work to ensure that scientists from the region become involved in ISC activities, especially those related to the priority areas of the region.

The Regional Office for Latin The Regional Office for Africa The Regional Office for Asia America and the Caribbean (sub-Sahara) was established and the Pacific was inaugurated was inaugurated in April 2007. in September 2005 and is hosted in September 2006 and is hosted It was hosted by the Brazilian by the South African National by the Malaysian Academy of Academy of Sciences in Rio de Research Foundation in Pretoria. Sciences in Kuala Lumpur. Janeiro until November 2010, The priority areas for Africa are: The priority areas for Asia and the when it relocated to the Mexican Pacific are: Academy of Sciences in Mexico • sustainable energy City. It moved again in August natural and human-induced • sustainable energy 2016 and is now located in San • hazards and disasters ecosystem approach Salvador, El Salvador. • • health and human wellbeing • hazards and disasters The priority areas for Latin global environmental change earthquakes, floods and America and the Caribbean are: • • (including climate change and landslides • sustainable energy adaptation) • special vulnerability of islands • natural disasters • mathematics education • biodiversity • disaster risk reduction • urban health Annual Report 2018 21

● Regional Office for Africa (ROA) ● Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific During the year, ROA collaborated with various (ROAP) partners on the continent to promote science as A key achievement for ROAP in 2018 was the launch a global public good. This included a partnership of Future Earth Mongolia, launched in Ulaanbaatar with the Africa Future Earth Committee, tasked during June, and Future Earth Philippines, in with setting up other regional Future Earth Manilla in November. offices throughout the continent, assisting in the Organized by the Mongolian Academy of implementation of the LIRA2030 programme Sciences (MAS), the Future Earth Ulaanbaatar and providing leadership for the African Open event heard from Professor Jia Gensuo, a member Science Platform. of the regional committee for ROAP and Deputy The African Open Science Platform is a pan-African Director of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics endeavour which aims to position African scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, on “The at the cutting edge of data-intensive science, by Digital Belt & Road - Climate Change and Disaster stimulating interactivity and creating opportunity Risks”. The digital belt and road promotes through the development of efficiencies of scale, the sustainable development through the harnessing creation of critical mass through shared capacities, and application of big data to build capacity for and amplifying impact through a commonality of communities to build resilience and respond to purpose and voice. It is anticipated that the fully- disaster risk. Prof. Gensuo encouraged Mongolian fledged platform will be launched in 2020. South colleagues, young scientists and students to join Africa’s Department of Science and Technology, local capacity building programmes and be part of the NRF, CODATA, the South African Academy of local solutions in disaster risk reduction. Science and the ISC continue to actively participate Prof. Tetsuzo Yasunari, Director General of the in the initiative. Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, The platform was presented in December at the Japan and member of the Future Earth Advisory Science Forum South Africa by Dr Khotso Mokhele, Committee gave a keynote speech entitled “Future co-chairperson of the advisory council of the Earth: Research for sustainability in the Asia- Platform and former President of the National Pacific region”, where he emphasized the important Research Foundation (NRF). roles of national and regional networks as bottom- up processes to tackle global sustainability ROA also brought together African scientists and challenges. policy-makers to deliberate on the challenges on the continent in collaborations and events such as: The launch also heard from members of the Future Earth Regional Committee for Mongolia, including The Joint Research Centre of the European • Dr D. Odgerel, Head of Science and Technology at Commission Summer School (South Africa, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and December 2018), organized by the International Sports; Prof. Avid. B, Secretary General, Mongolian Network for Government Science Advice Academy of Sciences and Ms. S. Oyun, Member of (INGSA)-Africa Chapter (hosted at ROA) in the Future Earth Advisory Committee. collaboration with the African Academy of Sciences and the African Union Commission; The Future Earth Philippines Programme, funded by the Department of Science and Technology The launch of the Future Earth Regional Office • of the Philippines, was launched with the aim of in Southern Africa, based in South Africa, with strengthening the country’s resilience through the aim of setting up similar Regional Offices in the creation of the Philippine Knowledge-Action other sub-regions of the continent; Programmes for Sustainability. It seeks to link the • Participating in the African Regional Forum Philippines with regional and global initiatives on for Sustainable Development as part of the co- sustainability by encouraging collaboration among convening role of the ISC for the UN’s Scientific relevant agencies, institutions and stakeholders. and Technological Community Major Group; ROAP’s other activities throughout the year and included: The publication of a book, African Indigenous • Training courses held in Taipei on themes Medical Knowledge and Human Health • including disaster risk reduction in systems developed by the Human Wellbeing Consortium approaches for slow onset climate disasters; coordinated by ROA. landslide risk reduction training and earthquake hazard and risk assessment training in East Asia; 22 International Science Council

• A two-day workshop on the IPCC Assessment with the Latin American and Caribbean Open Report 6 cycle for early career scientists Science Forum, held in Panama, where discussions working on climate change, disaster risk were held on how to strengthen activities around reduction and their interaction with sustainable the Forensic Investigation of Disasters publication development; and specifically, how to strengthen collaboration with the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk and • Capacity building workshops and events in other regional disaster risk programmes. collaboration with INGSA on science advice for governments, including trainings in ROLAC convened scientists and policy-makers Bangladesh, India and a major conference in through activities and events such as: Tokyo, aimed at creating a platform to build • The inaugural INGSA capacity building and strengthen networks of science advice in workshop in the Caribbean in February, where the region; 40 early career and established scientists and • Participation of ROAP committee members policy-makers participated in case studies that in the International Symposium on Health highlighted the need to have strong scientific and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban data for policy-makers to find solutions to Environment, held in Xiamen, China in complex issues. Further INGSA workshops October. The Symposium brought together were also held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Panama urban health experts to discuss progress City, Panama; and advance health and wellbeing in • A conference in March with the International changing urban environments. It provided Mathematical Union and its Committee for an opportunity to present evidence and case Women in Mathematics on reducing the studies on the benefits generated by better gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, understanding of the interconnectedness of Engineering, Mathematics), in the region. specific urban health and well-being issues Around 700 delegates attended, sharing ideas when addressed through systems approaches, and recommendations on actions that could be by putting health at the core of urban taken at local and regional levels to promote policy making. gender equality in STEM. • A delegation from the Ministry of Health, El Salvador, visited Cuba’s International ● Regional Office for Latin America and the Convention on Cuba Salud in April, to exchange Caribbean (ROLAC) ideas and best practices with delegations from One of the major priority areas for ROLAC in Cuba’s Ministry of Health as part of the Urban 2018 included the promotion of an integrated Health and Wellbeing programme. multi-disciplinary framework around research into disaster risk reduction. In January, ROLAC • The World Data System Latin America launched a book entitled The Forensic Investigation conference and the Caribbean Scientific of Disasters with the Ministry of the Environment Data Management workshop both hosted and Natural Resources of El Salvador. The by the Brazilian Academy of Sciences in publication provided a conceptual map and guide April successfully mapped the strengths for forensic disaster investigations, focusing on the and limitations, and new opportunities for, investigation of the causes of disasters and their collaboration of data initiatives in the region occurrence. that are either underway or in the process of being developed; and Capacity building around the publication and its framework took place in Cuba, El Salvador, • The launch of a network promoting ancestral Mexico and Panama, with journalists and media knowledge at the Symposium on Ancestral professionals joining sessions in El Salvador Knowledge, Public Policies and Dialogue of to highlight the important role the media Knowledge, organized in conjunction with the has in reporting on disaster resilience and in National Autonomous University of Mexico communication during and in the aftermath of a and the Ministry of Culture in El Salvador disaster. In October, the DRR meetings coincided in December. Annual Report 2018 23

COMMITTEE ON FREEDOM AND In the first half of 2018, the Committee considered RESPONSIBILITY IN SCIENCE seven cases where the rights and freedom of individual scientists to conduct their work may The Committee for Freedom and Responsibility have been restricted. In respect for the members in Science (CFRS) promotes freedom and involved in these cases and the wishes of their responsibility in the conduct of science by issuing family, the details of these cases are confidential. advisory material, organizing scientific meetings In some instances, we have been given and by considering cases of individual scientists permission to raise awareness about these cases. whose human rights are infringed. Once such case regarded the Argentinian During the first half of 2018, the preceding (ICSU) glaciologist Ricardo Villalba, who was facing committee continued to follow a wide range of charges, along with three government officials, individual issues associated with freedom and for the conduct of a countrywide glacial survey. responsibility in science and held workshops. The The charges were associated with a claim that he CFRS concluded its mandate on 30 June 2018 and manipulated a government survey of glaciers at the ISC Governing Board took charge of addressing the request of mining interests. Due consideration urgent freedom and responsibility cases until a revealed that his inventory of glaciers was equal to, new CFRS, the first of the new Council, would be or better than, international standards. A letter to appointed in early July 2019. Argentinian authorities noted the potential negative impact on local and global scientific endeavours if such cases succeeded in court.

Shaping the future of researchers in In September 2018, ISC President Daya Reddy developing countries endorsed an appeal by the United Nation’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to immediately The CFRS held a workshop in March 2018 release Xiyue Wang, a US national and PhD student in Abuja, Nigeria, organized in conjunction being held in an Iranian prison on unfounded with the Nigerian Academy of Science and the espionage charges. ISC’s Regional Office for Africa. The aim of this session was to discuss with government, Throughout the year, the Committee also researchers and institutions strategies for collaborated with Scholars at Risk, the Committee better enabling and enhancing the value of for Concerned Scientists, and The International research in developing countries. Discussions Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly were focused on the following themes: Societies, to raise awareness and respond to human rights issues associated with freedom (i) Ensuring the rights, freedoms, duties and and responsibility in science. The committee responsibilities for African researchers at contributed to the Human Rights Network’s institutional and state level; resource guide released in September 2018. (ii) Identifying the main drivers of “brain drain” and good examples of how to mitigate against this loss; (iii) Creating an enabling environment for researchers; and (iv) Security of employment and sustaining support to specific groups (e.g. young and female researchers). The workshop was well attended and resulted in a number of recommendations promoting research in science and technology to achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development in African countries. Partners included UNESCO, the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Nigerian Young Academy and the Nigerian government. 24 International Science Council

CO-SPONSORED PROGRAMMES

● CODATA The globally definitive kilogram is CODATA is the Committee on Data of the now no longer based upon a reference International Science Council (ISC) which promotes global collaboration to advance Open Science to lump of metal (carefully guarded in a improve the availability and usability of data for vault near Paris), but rather, calculated all areas of research. from a precise value determined by the The General Conference of Weights and Measures in CODATA Task Group on Fundamental November 2018 took the momentous decision to re- Physical Constants. define the International System of Units (SI) based on exact values of the fundamental constants—a decision that was enacted from 22 May 2019. This weighty decision means that the globally definitive kilogram is now no longer based upon a reference ● CROP - Comparative Research On lump of metal (carefully guarded in a vault near Poverty programme Paris), but rather, calculated from a precise value The Comparative Research On Poverty programme determined following a review by the CODATA Task (CROP) was established in 1992. It works in Group on Fundamental Physical Constants. collaboration with knowledge networks, institutions and scholars to build independent and critical Since 1969, the CODATA Task Group has undertaken knowledge on poverty, and to help shape policies the task of reviewing the data from metrology labs for preventing and eradicating poverty. It is jointly around the world and periodically revising the sponsored by the ISC and the University of Bergen fundamental constants that are used in many areas (UiB), Norway, where its secretariat is located. of science. This painstaking work is essential to science, to the calibration of high precision measures Activities throughout 2018 continued to promote around the world and ultimately through the SI critical knowledge on the causes of and solutions to system of units to every human on the planet. poverty in collaboration with local and international partners. CROP co-organized four international In addition to re-defining the kilogram, decisions workshops and was responsible for two panels at the were taken to define a further three SI base units - World Social Science Forum. CROP also published the ampere, kelvin, and mole (measures of electric two books and eight “poverty briefs”, on topics as current, temperature, and amount of substance, varied as welfare reform in China, representation respectively) - using fundamental constants. Three of the poor in Brazilian media, using progress other base units — for the second, metre, and candela indicators for measuring economic, social and (a measure of a light’s perceived brightness) — were cultural rights, and on the problems and options already being defined using fundamental constants. of renewing social democracy. The International Data Week, held in November At the same time, CROP was active in discussions in Gaborone, Botswana, was attended by over 850 on Sustainable Development and Sustainability data experts from around the world, ensuring Science at its parent institution, the University of the visibility and advancement of African data Bergen, Norway, participating in seminars and issues. The conference was organized by CODATA, conferences on how to respond to global challenges the ISC’s World Data System, the Research Data and meet the SDGs. Alliance and the African Open Science Platform (an initiative directed by CODATA and ISC). The event During the year, UiB and ISC initiated a process to was a significant milestone for the African Open renew CROP and expand its scientific focus to cover Science Platform, which will launch its operational issues of inequality. The results of that renewal phase in 2019. process will be announced in late 2019. The human dimension of the global data community For more information on CROP’s activities in 2018, is recorded at events like International Data Week see www.crop.org in the Humans of Data art project which showcases the voices and thoughts of data practitioners from around the world. For more information on CODATA’s activities in 2018 see www.codata.org Annual Report 2018 25

● Future Earth sustainability; and the Exponential Climate Action Future Earth is a major international research Roadmap, charting essential steps to 2030 to platform providing the knowledge and support to catalyze action at the speed and scale now required accelerate transformations to a sustainable world, to combat climate change. by building capacity in global sustainability and During 2018, the ISC’s Regional Office for Asia and providing an international research agenda to the Pacific helped launch Future Earth Mongolia guide natural and social scientists working around and Future Earth Philippines. The launch event the world. It is also a platform for international for Mongolia, held in Ulaanbaatar in June, was engagement to ensure that knowledge is generated supported by the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. in partnership with society and users of science. Future Earth Manilla has created Philippine Future Earth is co-sponsored by the International Knowledge-Action Programmes for Sustainability Science Council (ISC), the Belmont Forum of as part of its roadmap for collaboration on funding agencies, the United Nations Educational, sustainability issues (see ROAP entry for Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), more details). the United Nations Environment Programme The ‘Seedbeds of Transformation’ conference co- (UNEP), the United Nations University (UNU), The organized by Future Earth in Port Elizabeth, South Science and Technology in Society (STS) forum and Africa in May included several presenters from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). the Transformations to Sustainability and LIRA Future Earth’s highlights for 2018 included the programmes. The conference provided a platform Global Carbon Project, involving scientsts from 15 for collaborative, transdisciplinary science for countries researching the global carbon budget; researchers from diverse perspectives to explore The Program for Early-stage Grants Advancing transformations and the SDGs in Africa. Sustainability Science (PEGASuS); the Sleeping For more information on Future Earth’s activities in Financial Giants project aimed at engaging the 2018 see www.futureearth.org finance sector in realizing its links to global 26 International Science Council

● International Network for Government early warning systems now used by a number Science Advice - INGSA of countries, including Small Island Developing INGSA provides a forum for policy-makers, States, to design their own systems and support practitioners, national academies, scientific international collaboration across agencies societies, and researchers to share experience, build and sectors. capacities, and develop theoretical and practical For more information on IRDR’s activities in 2018 approaches to the use of scientific evidence in see www.irdrinternational.org informing policy at all levels of government. The ISC has worked closely with INGSA to build capacity and produce knowledge at the interface ● Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme of science and public policy in low- and middle- The Urban Health and Wellbeing programme income countries – an important aspect of the proposes a new conceptual framework for ISC’s work that promotes and strengthen evidence- considering the multi-factorial nature of both the based decision-making. With funding from the determinants and the manifestations of health and International Development Research Centre wellbeing in urban populations. The programme (IDRC) of Canada, the ISC has awarded and generates multi-disciplinary and collaborative managed six research grants in 2018 in a highly projects addressing multiple aspects of urban competitive process from a large pool of applicants. health, with the ambition of producing reports The research projects will look to strengthen the useful to policy-makers. interface of science and public policy on issues such as drug control, coastal management and sea The programme, established in 2014, is currently level rise, water governance and household energy co-sponsored by the ISC, Inter-Academy management. The ISC regional offices continued to Partnership (IAP), the International Society of help manage three INGSA regional chapters in Asia, Urban Health (ISUH) and the Chinese Academy of Latin America and Africa by delivering workshops, Sciences (CAS), who also hosts the programme’s research and science-policy engagement activities secretariat in Xiamen, China. to a range of grantees aimed at assisting their In 2018, the ISC undertook a review of the professional development. programme in order to guide the next phase of its For more information on INGSA’s activities in 2018 activities and partnership development, especially see www.ingsa.org in the context of Agenda 2030 and UN Habitat’s National Urban Policy Programme The 15th International Conference on Urban Health ● Integrated Research on Disaster Risks took place in Kampala, Uganda, in November (IRDR) under the theme “Managing Urbanisation for With the help of the IRDR programme, the ISC Health: A priority for all nations”. Bringing together mobilized the scientific community to provide researchers, policy-makers and other stakeholders, inputs into the UNDRR Global Assessment Report, the conference led to the acknowledgement by a two-yearly publication assessing the state of several countries of the increasing importance knowledge on hazards, disaster risks and progress of urban housing conditions on health due to towards achieving the targets of the Sendai demographic and climate change. Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The ISC Together with the International Society of Urban also convened scientists from the IRDR, Future Health, the ISC launched the Africa Working Earth and WCRP programmes to discuss their joint Group for Urban Health at the conference. The contribution in addressing systemic and cascading group, consisting of researchers from the ISC’s risks across multiple domains (environment, LIRA programme and practitioners in the field of food production and food security, health, trade, urbanization and health seeks to build critical mass technology, etc.) and geographies. of urban health researchers and practice in Africa, The ISC supported a working group on with the aim of promoting an “Africa-first” approach international collaboration for data sharing and to urban health issues. data interoperability (in particular around events For more information on the Urban Health and such as the Indonesia earthquake and tsunami). Its Wellbeing Programme’s activities in 2018 see aim was to develop a framework for multi-hazards www.urbanhealth.cn Annual Report 2018 27

● World Climate Research Programme - than 150 researchers and members of scientific WCRP organizations, policy-makers, and funders in the region to exchange information and develop greater The World Climate Research Programme facilitates synergies on topics such as trends in open data and analysis and prediction of Earth system change open science. for use in a range of practical applications of direct relevance, benefit and value to society. WCRP aims The new WDS Scientific Committee continued to to determine the predictability of climate and the show a strong commitment in nurturing the next effect of human activities on climate. generation of young scientists by adding a one-year ‘rolling’ seat to the 2018–2021 Committee, filled by The International Science Council together a representative of the recently established WDS with the World Meteorological Organization Early Career Researcher and Scientist Network. (WMO), and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic The Network builds on the success of the WDS Data Commission (IOC) of UNESCO coordinated an Stewardship Award, won in 2018 by Dr Wouter Beek internal review of the World Climate Research who was presented the Award at International Data Programme (WCRP) during 2018. The review was Week, held in November in Gaborone, Botswana led by Julia Slingo (Chair), Mark New, Alan Thorpe, and co-hosted by CODATA, WDS and the Research Steven Zebiak, Fumiko Kasuga, Sergey Gulev, Data Alliance. and Neville Smith. The report published at the end of this process explored the WCRP’s scientific WDS held its firstInternational Data Repositories achievements and impact since 2009, and provided Day at the end of International Data Week. The open strategic directions for future development. It also event offered participants the opportunity to get to assessed the appropriateness and effectiveness know WDS and its Members through presentation of the governance, operational structure, and networking opportunities, leading to a greater management and resourcing of the WCRP and understanding of the ways in which WDS can assist informed the development of the 2019-2028 WCRP the repository community. The WDS Scientific Strategic Plan. The review was featured in Nature Committee profited from being in Southern Africa Climate Change. by having its November meeting in Cape Town. The meeting focused on the positioning of WDS During March, the WCRP together with the within the ISC, and in particular looked at how IPCC, Future Earth, C40 (a network of the world’s data management and data integration across all megacities committed to addressing climate domains will have a vital role in supporting research change), and other partners co-organized a that will find transformative pathways to addressing Cities and Climate Change Science Conference in the challenges facing humanity. One of the key Edmonton, Canada. The conference inspired the outputs of the Committee’s Cape Town meeting next frontier of research focused on the science of was the development of the WDS Strategic Plan cities and climate change and as a result, the Cities for 2019–2023 which aims to maximize the WDS IPCC Research and Action Agenda was established. contribution to the ISC’s 2019-2021 Action Plan, as Its focus will be on the joint identification of key well as to ensure the effectiveness of WDS liaisons gaps by the academic, practitioner and urban with ISC members. policy-making communities, a concept which was presented at a side event at COP24 during December Of huge importance to future WDS strategy, is in Katowice, Poland, to stimulate discussion on the selection by the WDS Scientific Committee effective urban responses to of a Canadian consortium—formed by three climate change. WDS Regular Members—to host the firstWDS International Technology Office (WDS-ITO) housed For more information on WCRP’s activities in 2018 at the University of Victoria. The WDS-ITO is led see www.wcrp-climate.org by Dr Karen Payne, who was officially appointed as Associate Director in November. The WDS-ITO provides technical infrastructure and services in ● World Data System (WDS) support of WDS goals. Its remit is to coordinate 2018 was a year of change for the World Data WDS contributions to Global Research Data System (WDS), starting with the appointment of Infrastructure (GRDI), and to assist WDS Members the new WDS Scientific Committee for 2018–2021. and the wider community in building trustworthy The previous Committee held its final meeting and enduring GRDI for the public good. during the Latin America and the Caribbean Scientific Data Management Workshop in April in For more information on WDS’ activities in 2018 see Rio de Janeiro. The event brought together more www.icsu-wds.org 28 International Science Council

OUR 3 GOVERNANCE

Governing Board

International Science Council Governing Governing Board Board 2018 - 2021 The Council is governed by an international Governing Board Row 1: Renée van Kessel, Pearl Dykstra, which provides scientific and strategic leadership for the Melody Burkins, Elisa Reis, Daya Reddy, organization, and is advised on key aspects of its work by a number Peter Gluckman, Sirimali Fernando, of Advisory Bodies. The Council’s global headquarters are located Heide Hackmann in Paris, France. Its Regional Offices – for Africa, Latin America and (ex-officio). Row 2: Jinghai Li, the Caribbean, and Asia and the Pacific – work closely with national Geoffrey Boulton, Saths Cooper, Alik Ismail- and regional Members to ensure the relevance of the Council’s work Zadeh, James C. Liao, Anna Davies, Natalia and priorities in all parts of the world. A General Assembly of all Tarasova Members is convened every three years, with the next one being in Absent: Martin Visbeck, Muscat, Oman in 2021. Ruth Fincher AnnualAnnual Report Review 2018 29 30 International Science Council

FINANCES FOR THE PERIOD Income (Euros) Membership dues Statement of Combined Income and Expenditure Member Organizations 2,747,108 of the International Council for Science (ICSU) Member Unions and Associations 181,133 and the International Social Science Council Affiliated Members 11,500 (ISSC) from 1 January to 30 June 2018, and the Provision Arrears 79,774 International Science Council from 1 July 2018 National Member support for 40,000 to 31 December 2018. GA / Dev. Countries travel Contribution from French Government 100,000 China CAST - Integrated data activity 90,354 Grants from NSF 324,149 NSF dedicated funds at the end of 266,133 previous year Taipei grant for ICoE 282,486 Taipei dedicated funds at the end of 442,343 previous year Sida Grant for LIRA activities 1,458,641 Sida dedicated funds at the end of 128,580 previous year Bosch for LIRA Programme 35,000 IDRC funds for INGSA 383,537 IDRC dedicated funds at the end of 8,669 previous year Sida & NORFACE funds for T2S 351,279 activities Sida T2S dedicated funds at the end of 978,726 previous year UNEP for IPBES review 55,679 Other income 29,500 Cancellation other provision 5,981 Investment income 77,312 Total Income 8,077,884

Expenditure (Euros) Governance meetings 169,794 Policy committees 64,819 International Programme & 1,629,771 Interdisciplinary Bodies Policy Activities & Fora 90,915 Capacity Development & Early Career 2,528,307 Science activities International Events 89,315 Other Review response actions & New 32,740 Initiatives Membership 306,663 Regional Offices 232,363 Outreach 157,633 Human resources 2,555,466 Administration / Overheads 216,915 Contingency / Provision - Loss on arrears 62,656 Loss on exchange 337 Investment charges & losses* 65,923 Total Expenditure 8,203,618 Excess of expenditure over income -125,733

* Including provision for unrealized losses on Portfolio for a total amount of 53K €

Annual Report 2018 31

BALANCE SHEET Assets (Euros) Bank & cash balances 3,555,220 Balance Sheet of the International Science Council Marketable securities 2,279,004 on 31 December 2018. UNEP grant - balance to be received 11,808 Others assets 112,924 Fixed assets 40,261 Total assets 5,999,217

Liabilities (Euros) External funds allocated 1,630,009 Sundry creditors & accruals 496,511 Provision / Retirement 253,779 Total liabilities 2,380,299

Reserves (Euros) Mandatory reserve 1,500,000 General fund / Retained earnings 2,244,651 Total reserves 3,744,651

Net Result -125,733 32 International Science Council

4 OUR MEMBERS

The Council’s membership provides the foundation for its work. Through its activities, the Council aims to create opportunities for Members to participate in important scientific conversations and activities, to showcase their scientific contributions at the international level, and to connect to each other and to influential networks worldwide. The ISC’s unique global membership brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organizations including Academies and Research Councils, listed on the following pages: Annual Report 2018 33

4S, Society for Social Studies of Science Burkina Faso, Centre National de la El Salvador, Viceministerio de Ciencia y Recherche Scientifique et Technologique Tecnología de El Salvador A Estonia, Estonian Academy of Sciences AAS, African Academy of Sciences C Ethiopia, Ethiopian Science and Cameroon, Cameroon Academy AASSA, Association of Academies and Technology Agency of Sciences Societies of Sciences in Asia Canada, National Research Council Academy of Social Sciences, F of Canada United Kingdom FIG, Fédération Internationale Canada, Social Science and Humanities des Géomètres ACSS, Arab Council for the Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Social Sciences Finland, Council of Finnish Academies Caribbean, Caribbean Academy of Albania, Academy of Sciences FLACSO, Facultad Latinoamericana de Sciences (CAS) Ciencias Sociales Angola, Foundation of Science Chile, Academia Chilena de Ciencias and Development France, Académie des Sciences China: CAST, China Association for Argentina, National Scientific and Science and Technology (CAST) Technological Research Council G (CONICET) China: Chinese Academy of Social Georgia, Georgian Academy of Sciences Sciences (CASS) Armenia, National Academy of Sciences Germany, Deutsche of the Republic of Armenia China: Taipei, Academy of Sciences Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) located in Taipei ASTC, Association of Science- Ghana, Ghana Academy of Technology Centers CIE, Commission Internationale de Arts & Sciences l’Eclairage Australia, Australian Academy of Science Greece, Academy of Athens CLACSO, Consejo Latinoamericano Austria, Die Österreichische Akademie Guatemala, Academia de Ciencias de Ciencias Sociales der Wissenschaften Médicas Fisicas y Naturales de CODESRIA, Council for the Development Guatemala Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan National Academy of Social Science Research in Africa of Sciences H Colombia, Academia Colombiana de B Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales Honduras, National Academy of Sciences of Honduras Bangladesh, Bangladesh Academy Costa Rica, Academia Nacional of Sciences de Ciencias Hungary, Hungarian Academy of Sciences Belarus, National Academy of Sciences Côte d’Ivoire, Académie des Sciences, (NASB) des Arts, des Cultures d’Afrique et des I Diasporas Africaines (ASCAD) Belgium, Royal Academies for Science IAAP, International Association of and the Arts of Belgium (RASAB) Cuba, Academia de Ciencias de Cuba Applied Psychology Bolivia, Academia Nacional de Ciencias Czech Republic, Czech Academy IAHR, International Association for de Bolivia (ANCB) of Sciences Hydro-Environment Engineering Bosnia & Herzegovina: ANUBiH, and Research D Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia IALS, International Association of and Herzegovina Denmark, Royal Danish Academy of Legal Science Sciences and Letters Bosnia & Herzegovina: ANURS, IASC, International Arctic Science Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Dominican Republic, Academy of Committee Republic of Srpska Sciences of the Dominican Republic IASSA, International Arctic Social Botswana, Ministry of Infrastructure, Sciences Association Science and Technology E EADI, European Association of IAU, International Astronomical Union Brazil, Academia Brasileira de Ciências Development and Training Institutes (ABC) ICA, International Cartographic ECPR, European Consortium for Association Brazil, Association Nacional de Political Research Pos-Graduacao e Pesquisa em Ciencias ICA, International Commission Sociais (ANPOCS) Egypt, Academy of Scientific Research for Acoustics and Technology (ASRT) Bulgaria, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences ICIAM, International Council for Industrial (BAS) and Applied Mathematics 34 International Science Council

ICLAS, International Council for IUCr, International Union of K Laboratory Animal Science Crystallography Kazakhstan, National Academy of ICO, International Commission for Optics IUFoST, International Union of Food Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan Science and Technology ICSTI, International Council for Scientific Kenya, Kenya National Academy and Technical Information IUFRO, International Union of Forest of Sciences Research Organizations IEA, International Economic Association Korea Democratic People’s Republic of, IUGG, International Union of Geodesy State Academy of Sciences IFDO, International Federation of Data and Geophysics Organizations for Social Science Korea Republic of, Korean Social Science IUGS, International Union of Geological Research Council (KOSSREC) IFIP, International Federation for Sciences Information Processing Korea Republic of, National Academy of IUHPST, The International Union Sciences of the Republic of Korea IFLA, International Federation of Library for History and Philosophy of Science Associations and Institutions and Technology L IFS, International Foundation for Science IUIS, International Union of Lao PDR, Lao National Science Council IFSM, International Federation of Immunological Societies Latvia, Latvian Academy of Sciences Societies for Microscopy IUMRS, International Union of Materials Lebanon, National Council for IGU, International Geographical Union Research Societies Scientific Research IIASA, International Institute for Applied IUMS, International Union of Lesotho, Department of Science System Analysis Microbiological Societies and Technology IMU, International Mathematical Union IUNS, International Union of Nutritional Lithuania, Lithuanian Academy Sciences India, Indian Council of Social Science of Sciences Research (ICSSR) IUPAB, International Union for Pure and Luxembourg, Fonds National Applied Biophysics India, Indian National Science Academy de la Recherche IUPAC, International Union of Pure and Indonesia, Indonesian Institute of Applied Chemistry M Sciences (LIPI) IUPAP, International Union of Pure and Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Rep. INQUA, International Union for Applied Physics Of, Macedonian Academy of Sciences Quaternary Research and Arts IUPESM, International Union for Physical IPRA, International Peace Research and Engineering Sciences in Medicine Madagascar, Ministère de Association l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la IUPHAR, International Union of Basic and IPSA, International Political Science Recherche Scientifique Clinical Pharmacology Association Malawi, National Commission for Science IUPS, International Union of Iran, Islamic Rep. Of, University of Tehran and Technology Physiological Sciences Iraq, Ministry of Science and Technology Malaysia, Academy of Sciences Malaysia IUPsyS, International Union of Ireland, Royal Irish Academy Psychological Science Mauritius, Mauritius Research Council ISA, International Sociological IUSS, International Union of Soil Sciences Mexico, Academia Mexicana de Ciencias Association IUSSP, International Union for the Mexico, Consejo Mexicano de Ciencias ISA, International Studies Association Scientific Study of Population Sociales, COMECSO ISDE, International Society for IUTAM, International Union of Theoretical Moldova, Academy of Sciences Digital Earth and Applied Mechanics of Moldova ISEE, International Society for Ecological IUTOX, International Union of Toxicology Monaco, Principauté de, Centre Economics Scientifique de Monaco IUVSTA, International Union for Vacuum ISPRS, International Society for Science, Technique and Applications Mongolia, Mongolian Academy Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing of Sciences IWA, International Water Association Israel, Israel Academy of Sciences and Montenegro, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts Humanities J Italy, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Jamaica, Scientific Research Council Morocco, Hassan II Academy for Science and Technology IUBS, International Union of Biological Japan, Science Council of Japan Sciences Mozambique, Scientific Research Jordan, Royal Scientific Society Association of Mozambique (AICIMO) Annual Report 2018 35

Togo, Chancellerie des Universités “ We draw our strengths from our members, we draw du Togo our identity from them, and together we will forge the Tunisia, Université Tunis El Manar strength and identity of the ISC” Heide Hackmann, CEO Turkey, Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey Turkey, Turkish Academy of Science (TÜBA) N S TWAS, The World Academy of Sciences Namibia, National Commission on Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of, King Abdulaziz Research, Science and Technology City for Science and Technology (KACST) U (NCRST) Senegal, Association des Chercheurs UAI, International Union of Academies Nepal, Nepal Academy of Science and Sénégalais Uganda, Uganda National Council for Technology (NAST) Serbia, Serbian Academy of Sciences Science and Technology (UNCST) Netherlands, Koninklijke Nederlandse and Arts UIS, Union Internationale de Spéléologie Akademie van Wetenschappen Seychelles, Seychelles National Ukraine, National Academy of Sciences New Zealand, Royal Society Te Apārangi Parks Authority and Māori United Kingdom, British Academy Singapore, Singapore National Academy Nigeria, Nigerian Academy of Science of Science United Kingdom, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Norway, Norwegian Academy of Sciences Slovak Republic, Slovak Academy and Letters of Sciences United Kingdom, Royal Society Norway, Research Council of Norway Slovenia, Slovenian Academy of Sciences United States, National Academy and Arts of Sciences Norway, University of Bergen, UiB South Africa, Human Sciences Research URSI, Union Radio-Scientific O Council of South Africa (HSRC) Internationale Oman, Sultanate of, Research Council South Africa, National Research Uruguay, Consejo Nacional de of Oman Foundation (NRF) Innovación, Ciencia y Tecnología (CONICYT) OSSREA, Organization for Social Science South Pacific, University of the Research in Eastern and Southern Africa South Pacific Uzbekistan, Republic of, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences Spain, State Secretariat for Research, P Development and Innovation (SEIDI) Pakistan, Pakistan Association for the V Advancement of Science Sri Lanka, National Science Foundation Vatican City State, Pontificia Academia Scientiarum Panama, Universidad de Panama SSRC, Social Science Research Council Venezuela, Fondo Nacional de Ciencia, Peru, Academia Nacional de Ciencias Sudan, Republic of, National Centre for Research Tecnología e Innovación Philippines, National Research Council Swaziland, National Research Council Vietnam, Vietnam Union of Science and Philippines, Philippine Social Science Technology Associations Council (PSSC) Sweden, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Poland, Polish Academy of Sciences W Switzerland, Swiss Academy of WAPOR, World Association for Public Portugal, Academia das Ciencias Humanities and Social Sciences (SAHS) Opinion Research de Lisboa Switzerland, Swiss Academy of Sciences WAU, World Anthropological Union PSA, Pacific Science Association T Z R Tajikistan, Academy of Sciences of the Zambia, Zambia Academy of Sciences Romania, Academia Româna Republic of Tajikistan Zimbabwe, Research Council Russian Federation, Russian Academy Tanzania, Tanzania Commission for of Zimbabwe of Sciences Science and Technology Rwanda, Kigali Institute of Science and Thailand, National Research Council Technology (KIST), Rwanda of Thailand *Denotes list as of 31 December 2018 TNI, Transnational Institute 36 International Science Council

5 OUR FUTURE

Action Plan 2019-2021 The International Science Council’s goals for action over the next two and a half years are set out in its Action Plan, Advancing Science As a Global Public Good, published in September 2019. Its most important purpose is to form a practical framework for the ISC’s work, in all of its key functions, until the end of 2021. In addition, it will serve as a basis for active engagement with ISC members, and as a point of departure for dialogue and cooperation with partners and funders who share our objectives. At the heart of the Action Plan is a selection of projects and programmes that are relevant to all scientific fields and all parts of the world. Some of these are already in progress, others are ready for development. Many encompass and build on ongoing ISC activities, including the Council’s portfolio of international research programmes, scientific committees, networks, data bodies and observing systems. Work with us to advance science as a global public good: www.council.science/ActionPlan Annual Report 2018 37 38 International Science Council

CONFRONTING THE PROBLEMS OF wisdom of the humanities. We need to bridge the OUR TIME, BY ISMAIL SERAGELDIN two cultures more than ever before, and jointly to extend that bridge further into society. Ismail Serageldin participated in the inauguration It is against that background that the International of the International Science Council on 5 July 2018 Science Council (ISC) was created in Paris on July at the Maison des Océans. He is now a Patron of 5th 2018. At that moment, the ISSC (representing the ISC. the social sciences), and ICSU (representing When C.P. Snow wrote about “the two cultures” the natural sciences) merged to create the first over half a century ago, he bemoaned a degree of comprehensive umbrella organization that ignorance, even rising enmity between the culture combined the best practitioners of both the social of science and the culture of the humanities. The and the natural sciences, as well as several scholarly stand-off has survived, but has mutated. The organizations that include the humanities. The ISC non-science view is sustained by some who deny is thus poised to become the global voice of science that science is anything more than just another at a time when the world needs that more than ever. discourse reflecting the power relationships of Many of the most serious challenges that society, and that its practitioners, the scientists, humanity faces in trying to deal with climate are no more than another social group vying for change, water shortages, massive pollution, resources and power. Other voices, amplified by the destruction of ecosystems, loss of natural habitats, ubiquitous power of the world-wide-web and social soil degradation, species extinction, food security, media, promote self-serving beliefs, “fake news” and poverty, inequalities, and so much more, are not distortions that fly in the face of rigorous evidence amenable to simple technological fixes. They need about vaccination, moon landings, climate change societal involvement, broad public understanding, etc. Both politicize debate and reject evidence. Both political commitment and international undermine the potential of science to contribute to cooperation. Science has many contributions to the public good. make, but many of these contributions as they Yet science is different. provide new solutions and services do raise profound ethical, social and philosophical issues. We lose sight of that difference at our own peril. Just look at new genome editing techniques and In science, there is no individual authority, no book potential misuse on humans; the issues surrounding that governs right or wrong, no high priests that social connectivity on the new media and privacy; interpret the sacred texts: there is a method. the deployment of the technologies of artificial A method based on rationality and evidence. intelligence in mass surveillance and their capacity Science encourages engagement with the contrarian to erode individual liberties and potentially, human view, and hails the overthrow of existing paradigms sense of autonomy; or the alarming negative and conceptions as breakthroughs. Many of the potential of new “Deep Fake” videos. innovators in science are very young. Marie Curie was 31 when she discovered radium. Einstein was 26 So many of the problems of our time, from when he published his revolutionary papers. Watson gender to medical issues, from the deployment of was 25 when he co-discovered the structure of the technology to environment, from social cohesion double Helix. All were hailed for their discoveries to international peace, focus attention on human and are in the pantheon of the greatest scientists. individuals and societies as much as on the natural world we live in. Human beings are social But powerful as the empirical scientific method is, beings, living things that have motives, intentions, it is not enough to deal with many of our problems, norms and values, whose social institutions which are not just individual or systemic, but also have meaning symbols, rituals and cultures. All social and environmental, local and global. In of these are precisely the domains of the Social addition to the knowledge of the natural sciences, Scientists. Ethical issues require the wisdom of the we need the insights of the social sciences and the humanities. For the benefit of humanity in this new Annual Report 2018 39

Photo: ISC Patron, Ismail Serageldin century, we must bridge the rift between the two cultures. We must be able to bring their different and complementary insights to bear on the great problems of our time and engage with society in ways that enhance socio-political legitimacy. IMPRINT International Science Council This is the time for the ISC to bring the collective 5 rue Auguste Vacquerie voice of science, with its reason, rationality and 75116, Paris, France understanding to help the world appreciate the Tel: +33 1 45 25 03 29 scope of the challenges we face, as well as the [email protected] solutions that science can bring. And the ISC must www.council.science do that job well so that the world will listen, and that may help humanity move on from its conflicted present to a great and glorious future. It takes up Photo Credits: this urgent challenge by working to mobilise the p5 Photo by Gerald Knights on collective strengths of the sciences in deploying www.geraldknights.net their expertise and advice for the global public good p9 Photo by Simon Cassanas for ISC and by engaging publicly on the great contemporary p11 Photo by Simon Cassanas for ISC issues of concern to science and society. p15 Photo by DKart on iStock by Getty Images p25 Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash p29 Photo by Gerald Knights on www.geraldknights.net p37 Photo by real444 on iStock by Getty Images p39 Photo by Gerald Knights on www.geraldknights.net

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DOI: 10.24948/2019.10