Sixth annual STI Forum held

The theme for the sixth annual STI Forum is: "Science, technology and innovation for a sustainable and resilient COVID-19 recovery, and effective pathways of inclusive action towards the Sustainable Development Goals". Mr. Guo Huadong, as a member of the 10-Member Group chaired Session 2, Effective paths towards the SDGs: STI for ending poverty and hunger, enhancing human well-being, and building resilience. This was the first of two sessions dedicated to the SDGs at the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in 2021. This session looked specifically at STI to advance SDGs 1, 2, 3, and 16, including through their interlinkages with the rest of Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Discussions included breakthroughs and new approaches to accelerate SDG progress through innovation, and focused on priorities for STI development and successful experiences from the pandemic that can be scaled up to have impact across multiple goals and targets. Also discussed were ways to improve the science-policy-society interface to increase scientific collaboration globally for tackling major challenges.

Mr. Mohamed H. A. Hassan, the President of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Ms. Carolina Botero Cabrera, Director of the Karisma Foundation, and Mr. Peter Gluckman, President-elect of the International Science Council (ISC), spoke during the session as panelists. Representatives from Philippines, Finland, Bangladesh, World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Germany, China, the Major Group for Children and Youth, and other national and international organizations also spoke during the session.

Mr. Hassan stressed the need to transition to sustainable food systems to achieve several of the SDGs, especially for low-income countries, with the participation of youth and especially women. Ms. Cabrera gave a reminder to consider technology as a means to our ends, and stressed the need to ensure implementation with due consideration to human rights, especially when incorporating technology in social programs. Mr. Gluckman stated that linear traditional research approaches were not enough to address the underlying challenges. For the global good, new approaches, new funding, a strategic mindset, and trans-disciplinary research are necessary to identify viable and lasting solutions. During the session the participants also highlighted the importance of research-based knowledge and local development in technologies supported by sharing production technology for vaccines to improve capacity to cope with the pandemic. 

Mr. Guo pointed out in his speech that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to the world on its way towards the SDGs, and progress made previously has been seriously affected or even that situations have become worse than before. According to statistics, more than 120 million people worldwide will live in extreme poverty; food insecurity will worsen quickly, and about 265 million people will be put under food risk; and new challenges will emerge in health and wellbeing as we work to reduce mortality and expand vaccination. He said that innovations in science and technology will be an effective way to reverse the current trend, and we should unleash the potential of such innovations to lead the trend. In the post-epidemic era, we should establish an effective multi-stakeholder collaboration mechanism, enhance global cooperation in dealing with major challenges, improve interactions between academia, governments, and society, and narrow digital gaps to enhance data-based decision-making.

For more details visit the session summary.