Goverdhan Mehta, President International Council for Science (ICSU)

and Indian Institute of Science, India

Science &Technology for a Better World:Role of Science Revisited

ICSU

Retuning the role of science

Structure of the presentation

• The ‘unfettered’ march of science • Rejuvenating science – a new age• Science and Society- plea for ‘cohabitation’ • Imperatives of ‘policy’ in an asymmetric world• Science as a world system - Intl. dimension• ICSU striving towards a better future for all

A panacea for everything

The Dawn of Knowledge Era

21st century will be the century of knowledge

.…the process of transition is on

Spectacular developments in science and technology Unparalleled economic growth – globalization, competition, innovation at the vanguard Uncontrolled exploitation of earth’s resources

The pivotal role of S & T…..

“The 20th century’s unprecedented gains in advancing human development, industrial growth and eradication of poverty in certain regions of the world came largely from technological breakthroughs”

In the 21st century, this role needs to be recalibrated

Progress in science has been for most part, insular, monolithic and unitary

Why?

Science has grown exponentially at a rate of about 7 per cent per annum, doubling every 10 - 15 years, growing by a factor of ten at every half-century, and by a factor of a close to a million in the past 300 years.

And at and at an unprecedented pace………

cf. Societal evolution domain is ~ 10,000 years

Relentless pace of technology

Shrinking time domains

Computing power doubles….………..12 months Networking (Band width) doubles… ..09 monthsStorage (Hard disk) doubles…………. 06 months

Faraday 1830 1881

Watson-Crick 1953 1973

Electricity

Genetic Engg.

Iijima (CNT) 1991 2001 Logic circuit

More new information has been generated in the last 30 years than in the previous 5000

Scientific revolution has outpaced social revolution for over a century now

…….the burning issues confronting the world today relating to environment, energy, health, natural hazards, extinctions, unsustainable consumption and most importantly of growing inequalities and knowledge divide, did not come into sharper focus soon enough…..

As a consequence of this disconnect…..

The Paradox of Our Time

Despite spectacular advances in science and technology, unprecedented economic progress and

improvement in the quality of life…..

Growing inequalities

Knowledge Divide

A troubled world

Galloping Consumption

Depleting resources

A stressed planet

Bangalore-2006

Poverty + Deprivation Strife + Conflict

Environmental Pollution/Degradation

Over consumption ‘Un-sustainability’

Environmental Pollution/Degradation

Effluents of the affluent

Where do computers go, to die or kill?

Time is running out!

e-waste or WEEE

In the 21st century, a more inclusive view of science

‘..conception that science is autonomous is unsustainable.’

What can science do ?

A “new” role for Science

Science

Other knowledge Sustainable Streams development

Science needs to shed its splendid isolation

Innovation

A “new” role for Science

Societal Policy engagement Linkage

Science

Synergy between scientific & societal progress

Innovation

S Science Society

Values Acceptability Methods Equity Products Sustenance

benefits

supports

Science – Responsible, transparent, and understand the full implications of new discoveries in the context of moral and ethical values and sustainability of our planet

Society – Must shed its cynicism and skepticism about science and recognize its centrality for human good

S Science Society

Values Acceptability Methods Equity Products Sustenance

Cohabitation

benefits

supports

‘….To assume one basis for life and a different

basis for science is a priori a falsehood….Natural

science will in time incorporate into itself the science

of man, just as the science of man will incorporate

into itself natural science; there will be one science’ - Karl Marx

Scientists must ponder over their inability to transfer the sense of objectivity and responsibility that they so effectively deploy in scientific experiments and search for truth to the other side, namely society’s evolution.

The focus in the new age science…

Beyond discovery : addressing human needs and concerns

Connecting to UN ‘Millennium Development Goals’

eg. hunger, health, education, environment

Linkages with Global Change Research Programs

eg. climate change, energy issues

Great opportunities……

Centrality of societal engagement, policy interventions, and international partnerships

What is the way forward……?

“Policy, not charity, will determine whether new technologies become

a tool for human development everywhere” …. and for all

UNDP-HDR 2001

There is enough on this earth for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed

- Mahatma Gandhi

“There is hardly any social problem on which science cannot make some contribution”

-D. K. Price, Scientific Estate

Science is never sufficient to solve a problem completely; it is, however, always necessary.

Science for policy and

Policy for Science

Science for policy and

Policy for Science

“ The market is a powerful engine of technological progress, but it is not powerful

enough to create and diffuse the technologies needed to eradicate poverty”

UNHD Report 2001

The challenge of poverty…….

It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.

‘Policy interventions backed by political will and commitment can make a vital difference’

The need …

…..address causes not consequences

For that……

…a political leadership that is scientifically informed and scientific leadership that is politically savvy is required…..

‘political will in a globalizing world is focused on security than on development; stronger in finance and trade than in environment…’

The reality……

Sustainable Development

Science + Society + Policy

An inclusive world

A peaceful planet

Eradicate poverty Secure environment

“Science is becoming a world system”

The evolving context of international science

Emergence of global scientific challengesEmergence of global scientific challenges

Harmonizing challenges related to genetic research, climate change, energy, environment etc. with the imperatives of galvanizing best science that can be adopted and adapted in vastly diverse geographic, social, economic, political and cultural contexts.

Earth systems are more intricately coupled through complexity then has been generally recognized…….

No one discipline and no single country can tackle complex global scientific problems

El nino in the south pacific has been

implicated to the outbreak of communicable diseases in far away Bangladesh

Degradation of wetlands can be connected to spread of ‘birdflu’

Climate conditions helps predict outbreak of malaria epidemics in Africa (Botswana)*

Under water volcanic eruptions near Italy indicate lead contamination that can be traced to mines in Australia!

For example…..

*Palmer et.al. Nature, 2006

Natural Hazards

Sunami, Katrina, Kashmir…

Man made hazards

Oil spillsMining

Deforestation TrafficExplosions

Plane crash

Global warming and climate change

‘The sixth extinction crisis’

Amanita Muscaria sponge

coral insects

Catastrophic loss of species predicted, 100-10,000 times faster than normal

Nature, July 20, 2006

From aging population to emerging epidemics

AIDS, Neurodegenerative disorders & Infectious diseases

Health and human wellbeing:

AIDS alone is estimated to account for loss of 11,000 billion

The essentials: An inclusive world view;the perception that “its all about us”

must be discarded; “its about all of us”

In the 21st century national interests and international partnerships have to be

viewed as complementary

Everyone has aspirations&

Everyone is vulnerable

Towards a world of interdependence

“……travelers togetheron this bright blue ball in nothingness”

We are ……

-Carl Sandburg

Strengthening International Science for the Benefit of Society

75

Celebrating 75 years: 1931-2006

ICSU: a long history

• Founded in 1931, but roots back to 1899

• A membership organization with:107 National Members (mostly Academies) 29 International Scientific Unions

• Establishes interdisciplinary bodies; sponsors programs in key areas of global concern

• Limited finances but unique worldwide access

to intellectual resources

ICSU

ICSU mission

ICSU mobilizes the knowledge and resources of the international science community to:

• Identify and address major issues of importance to science and society

• Facilitate interaction of scientists across disciplines and among nations

• Promote participation of all scientists regardless of race, citizenship, language, political stance or gender

• Stimulate constructive dialogue between the scientific community, governments, civil society and the private sector

ICSU

The ICSU Vision

“….A world where science is used for the

benefit of all, excellence in science is valued

and scientific knowledge is effectively linked

to policy-making. In such a world, universal

and equitable access to scientific data and

information is a reality and all countries have

the scientific capacity to use these ….”

ICSU

International Research

Collaboration

Science and Policy

Universality of Science

ICSU

Three strategic themes

“It’s not what the vision is, it’s what the vision does”

- Peter Senge

www.icsu.org

A wish list for rejuvenating science

• New learning system - holistic nature of knowledge• Universal S & T literacy• Reinventing science education• A ‘scientific temper’ for the world• Sustainability science for every citizen• A borderless view of science

..and a human sensitivity index (HSI) for every scientist!

Thank you

ICSU: Building on experience

A few landmarks since 1931: International Geophysical Year (1957-1958)

International Biological Programme (1964-1974)

Freedom in the conduct of science (1963-)

Four global change programmes (1980-)

ASCEND 21 and input to the Rio Earth Summit (1991,1992)

Input to World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002)

Input to World Summit on the information Society (2003,05)

ICSU

International Research Collaboration

• Linking research, monitoring, and assessments with focus on global environmental change

• International Polar Year 2007-2008• Natural and Human-Induced Environmental

Hazards and Disasters• Science for Sustainable Development• Science for Human Health • Sustainable Energy

Science for Policy

• Ensure that international research programmes address key policy issues

• Participate in major international assessments

• Produce authoritative statements

• Speak as the voice of international science in policy fora

ICSU

Universality of Science

• The Founding Principle of ICSU– Freedom and Responsibility in science

• Reaching out to all countries:– Access to Data and Information– Regional Offices

ICSU

Scientists must ponder over their inability to transfer the sense of objectivity and responsibility that they so effectively deploy in scientific experiments and search for truth to the other side, namely society’s evolution.

Scientists must ponder over their inability to transfer the sense of objectivity and responsibility that they so effectively deploy in scientific experiments and search for truth to the other side, namely society’s evolution.

Leonardo da Vinci, a renaissance legend wrote to the Duke of Milan about his idea of building a submarine: “I do not want to precisely describe my method to stay under the water for a long period because people are so ill-natured that they would use it to destroy the keel of boats and to sink the crew”; words whose relevance is not lost in present times as concerns about bio-terrorism, proliferation, stem cell research, human cloning and nanotechnology stare at us.

Freedom and responsibility in Science…..

ICSU Regional Offices

• ICSU Regional Office for Africa in Pretoria inaugurated in September 2005

• ICSU Regional Office for Asia and Pacific to open in KL, Malaysia in September 2006

• Office for in Latin America/Caribbean in Rio, Brazil in December, 2006

• Arab region – negotiations underway

Aim: To ensure that the voice of developing countries influences the international agenda setting and that scientists from the South are fully involved in the research

ICSU

Strategic Partnerships

• The UN System:

– UNESCO

– UNEP and its Science Initiative

– Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD)

– WMO, Climate Change, IPY, Natural Hazards

• The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World

(TWAS), Inter Academy Panel (IAP), Inter Academy Panel

Inter Academy Council (IAC), Regional networks

• The technological community (WFEO, CAETS)

ICSU

ICSU will continue its unwavering commitment to…..

• Promote the use of cutting edge science to address global challenges, stimulate innovation and for informed decision making

• Strive for a fine balance between freedom and responsibility in the pursuit of Science

• Explore new mechanisms to share scientific knowledge and its understanding with stakeholders in society

ICSU

ICSU Strategic Plan 2006-2011

• Process: 6yrs of intense evaluation, review, planning and dialogue with scientists across the world

• Priority setting: Science driven prioritization of societally important issues

• Product(s): A total of 13 separate expert reviews, reports and statements www.icsu.org

• Implementation strategy: EB & CSPR

“It’s not what the vision is, it’s what the vision does….”

- Peter Senge

Strategic Themes

International Research

Collaboration

Science and Policy

Universality of Science

Three inter-related themes:

ICSU

Earth systems are more intricately coupled through complexity then has been generally recognized. For example, El nino in the south pacific has been implicated to the outbreak of communicable diseases in far away Bangladesh, degradation of wetlands can be connected to birdflu and climate change helps predict outbreak of malaria epidemics in Africa.

No one discipline and no single country can tackle complex global scientific problems

A problem can never be solved at the level at which it was created