The Art of Science Diplomacy

Communications

March 2018

Mrittunjoy Guha Majumdar, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Image courtesy of Niel Lall Cambridge

ichard Holbrooke once said 'Diplomacy between nations. Closer to Cambridge, Philip is like jazz: endless variations on a Zollman was made Foreign Secretary of the R theme'. A fine-art as it seemingly is, Royal Society in London in 1723 and his role diplomacy has recently had an added was to maintain regular correspondence with embellishment on its canvas: science. scientists overseas to ensure that the Royal For the diplomats of the day, this new Society’s fellows remained up-to-date with addition to the vanguard of diplomacy has the latest ideas and research findings. come with a lot of additional resources and Before World War II, news and information opportunities, over and above the traditional about scientific developments abroad were elements of 'soft power', which is an conveyed to London by commercial, military approach to international relations that and even agricultural consignments. involves persuasion using economic and/ or cultural influences. However, it was only after the war that due to Joseph Needham, whose work in the area Historically, science and technology were of promoting an ‘International Science Co- often used in diplomatic circles. Sometimes operation Service’ was widely-recognized, they were used to strike a sense of awe the natural sciences were recognised into emissaries from foreign lands. For as subjects that could do with a bit example, the Byzantian Emperor had a of international cooperation in a regulated special hydraulic system that elevated his way. They were incorporated within the throne to the ceiling of the Magnaura Palace, mandate of the United Nations Educational, thereby making a lasting impression on Scientific and Cultural Organisation visitors. At other times, science was an (UNESCO). This was done notwithstanding integral part of building international bonds. the international movement to address issues Jesuit missionaries played a major role in of global concern such as the threat posed by medieval international diplomatic circles, the introduction of nuclear weapons, which from helping in the signing of the Treaty of was written about in a manifesto by Bertrand Nerchinsk to the Kangxi Emperor’s favourite Russell and Albert Einstein in 1955, that mapmaker-cum-diplomat Father Gerbillon. called on scientists of all political persuasions What they did do in the process of facilitating to address the issue. The famous stronger international ties was to establish Pugwash Movement on science and world centres of learning and research that looked affairs, which was recognized with a Nobel into scientific pursuits. This may well have Prize in 1995, was also founded at around this been the first instance of science diplomacy time, in 1957, as what proved to be a major

THE ART OF SCIENCE DIPLOMACY

Communications

March 2018 player in the world of science diplomacy: the United Nations Climate Change Conference in science program by the North Atlantic Treaty 2013 (COP19), there were more than 800 Organisation (NATO). delegates from non-governmental organisations alone. However, after all is said After the Cold War, science diplomacy and done, efforts to define and demarcate the entered a stage of dormancy, which has only role of scientists within this complex world recently been broken through. Indeed science order are still in a nascent stage. The United and diplomacy have recently entered into a Nations Conference on Trade Development new phase of symbiosis. As per the Royal (UNCTAD) set up a science diplomacy Society and American Association for the initiative in 2001 to enhance ‘the provision of Advancement of Science (AAAS), science and technology advice to multilateral the concept of “science diplomacy” refers to negotiations and the implementation of the a number of parallel ideas under one results of such negotiations at the national conceptual umbrella. Not only can level’ [1]. The American Association for the science inform and support foreign policy Advancement of Science (AAAS) established objectives (such as on climate change) and its Centre for Science Diplomacy in 2008 to improve international relations (such as in bring together people from the spheres of international collaborations for scientific foreign policy, science and public pursuits like the Large Hadron Collider), policy to recognise areas where science diplomacy can also facilitate international cooperation can help build trust, leading to scientific cooperation. Famous American better intercultural understanding. molecular biologist Dr Nina Federoff, while being the Science and Technology Adviser to US Secretary of State, once said ‘Science ‘Science diplomacy is the use of diplomacy is the use of scientific interactions scientific interactions among nations among nations to address the common to address the common problems problems facing humanity and to build facing humanity and to build constructive, knowledge based international constructive, knowledge based partnerships.’ international partnerships.’ Over the next century, foreign policy is poised to be increasingly shaped by certain In the UK, the Royal Society has considered linked challenges of sustainability on the bridging science and diplomacy as one of its global stage. This includes insufficient key objectives of its new Science Policy energy resources, climate change, food shortages and scarcity of water. Science and Centre. The UK government, too, has taken a technology will be critical in addressing number of measures to link science more these hurdles and hence, the use of good directly to its foreign policy priorities. It set scientific advice by policymakers should be up a Science and Innovation Network (SIN) in prioritised. The global diplomatic world has 2001, which over the years has expanded increasingly moved towards a disaggregated to have bases (usually in High Commissions model that not only involves governments, or Consulates and UK embassies) in 25 but also various non-state entities including countries. The network does not provide any nongovernmental organisations research funding itself, but rather facilitates (NGOs), lawyers, the media and scientific collaboration between the United bodies, amongst others. For instance, at the Kingdom and international research partners

THE ART OF SCIENCE DIPLOMACY 2

Communications

March 2018 on a number of scientific and policy matters, published the very ﬁrst such as climate change, energy and comprehensive survey of Arctic geology in a innovation. step that could have beneficial implications for contentious sovereignty claims between these countries. [2]

Establishing links between scientists and diplomats helps both: for the former by informing them about the realities of foreign policy and policymaking, and for the latter by highlighting the role and limitations of science in policy. Improving the scientific knowledge and understanding of delegations working on key world issues like climate change and health is crucial. In the United Sir Peter Gluckman is widely recognized in Kingdom, the Royal Society founded an the world of science diplomacy. He is interesting scheme in 2001 to pair an MP currently the inaugural Chief Science Advisor with a scientist to facilitate this in the to the New Zealand Prime Minister. He is a domestic environment [3]. Diplomacy, in fellow of the Royal Society of London and has turn, can help to set up scientific received the AAAS Award for Science collaborations that are the need of the hour Diplomacy, in 2016. for contemporary research that involve large upfront investments in infrastructure, which For effective science diplomacy, the is beyond the budget of any one country. scientiﬁc community must not only be up-to- Scientists may require diplomatic assistance date with information on the state of our on a number of fronts, particularly in planet's natural and socio-economic systems, intellectual property agreements, contract but be capable and empowered to inform negotiations, or even with visa regulations. policymakers at the right time. It is also in the Post-Brexit, this has been a major cause of best interests of evidence-based concern for EU-UK scientific collaborations, policymaking and diplomacy for the since around 30,000 EU nationals occupy scientists to know where uncertainties exist nearly 17% of University research and in these resources and where the evidence- teaching posts in the United Kingdom. In a base is inadequate for an informed decision scenario where a “hard Brexit” could or policy. Even on certain sensitive issues potentially impact more than 90,000 STEM that may be of importance to national (Science, Technology, Engineering and security, scientific collaboration can help to Mathematics) jobs as per a new facilitate political cooperation analysis commissioned and published by and negotiations. In the 2009, the Geological London mayor Sadiq Khan [4], a pressing Survey of Canada recently initiated a need at this time is to make Diplomacy for collaborative project that involved Science a priority. As for Science for researchers from Norway, the United States Diplomacy, the much-needed positive of America, Sweden and Russia. They feedback that is sought by diplomats from

THE ART OF SCIENCE DIPLOMACY 3

Communications

March 2018 scientists and the world of science in the

diplomatic processes can be established Acknowledgements using science cooperation agreements to improve bilateral ties between nations, Mrittunjoy would like to thank the first editor creation of new scientific institutions (such as of this article Roxine Statts, and second CERN) and scholarships for network-building editor Erin Cullen. and partnerships. With new challenges such as environmental degradation, scarcity of References resources and the danger of nuclear warfare, highlighting the scientific and [1] United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, “SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIPLOMACY Concepts and environmental nuances of foreign-policy Elements of a Work Programme”, United Nations, 2003. agreements has led to increased discussion Available: http://unctad.org/en/docs/itetebmisc5_en.pdf.

and debate on science diplomacy. [2] C. Harrison, et al., “A New Geological Map of the Arctic: Geological Survey of Canada Open File 5816”, Frontiers + Innovation – 2009 CSPG CSEG CWLS Today, science diplomacy needs Convention, 2009. Available: https://www.geoconvention.com/archives/2009/090.pdf. support from individuals and organisations placed at all levels of the science community. [3] The Royal Society (2013) Royal Society Pairing Scheme 2013. [Online]. Available: Young scientists should be made aware of https://www.geoconvention.com/archives/2009/090.pdf. opportunities and incentives to engage with [4] Cambridge Econometrics (2018) Preparing for Brexit. policy and diplomacy very early on in their [Online]. Available: https://www.camecon.com/wp- careers. Points, such as the consideration of content/uploads/2018/01/Preparing-for-Brexit.pdf. how cooperation on scientiﬁc aspects of nuclear disarmament could support the wider diplomatic process, need to be addressed. About the Author Measures must be initiated with, and in, Mrittunjoy Guha Majumdar countries that have been struck by violence is a PhD Scholar in and war to see how science diplomacy can Cavendish Laboratory, help, in all three ways: science for diplomacy, University of Cambridge. diplomacy for science and science in He is currently Secretary diplomacy. Last but not the of BlueSci-Cambridge University Science least, international spaces that are beyond Magazine and Head of Communications of the national jurisdictions such as Antarctica, the Cambridge University Science Policy and deep seas and outer space, need to be Exchange (CUSPE). He is also the Graduate governed using an approach to international Union Welfare Officer. In the past he has cooperation that is informed by scientific worked with the Department of Science and evidence and supported by scientific Technology, Government of India, on various partnerships. science initiatives.

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