The Highlights Archive | Science for a Sustainable Future

Science for a Sustainable Future

Creating knowledge and understanding through science equips us to find solutions to today’s acute economic, social and environmental challenges and to achieving sustainable development and greener societies. As no one country can achieve sustainable development alone, international scientific cooperation contributes, not only to scientific knowledge but also to building peace.

UNESCO works to assist countries to invest in science, technology and innovation (STI), to develop national science policies, to reform their science systems and to build capacity to monitor and evaluate performance through STI indicators and statistics taking into account the broad range of country-specific contexts.

Science policies are not enough. Science and engineering education at all levels and capacity need to be built to allow countries to develop their own solutions to their specific problems and to play their part in the international scientific and technological arena.

Linking science to society, public understanding of science and the participation of citizens in science are essential to creating societies where people have the necessary knowledge to make professional, personal and political choices, and to participate in the stimulating world of discovery. Indigenous knowledge systems developed with long and close interaction with nature, complement knowledge systems based on modern science.

Science and technology empower societies and citizens but also involve ethical choices. UNESCO works with its member States to foster informed decisions about the use of science and technology, in particular in the field of bioethics.

Water is fundamental for life and ensuring water security for communities worldwide is essential to peace and sustainable development. The scientific understanding of the water cycle, the distribution and characteristics of surface and groundwater, of urban water all contribute to the wise management of freshwater for a healthy environment and to respond to human needs.

Scientific knowledge of the Earth’s history and mineral resources, knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity, and the interaction of humans with ecosystems are important to help us understand how to manage our planet for a peaceful and sustainable future. Global environmental change has profound social and human dimensions. Over 30 UNESCO programmes in ocean and natural sciences, education, culture and communication contribute to creating knowledge, educating and communicating about climate change, and to understanding the ethical implications for present and future generations.

Disaster risk reduction

20 February 2020	Closing the gender gap in science
11 November 2019	World Science Day for Peace and Development: Open science, leaving no one behind
28 October 2019	International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
3 October 2019	UNESCO MAB Young Scientists Awards: call for applications
24 September 2019	First female glacier expedition in Central Asia successfully completed
2 September 2019	Young Specialists of Biosphere Reserves Will Meet in the Great Altay Transboundary Biosphere Reserve
28 August 2019	The interest in UNESCO Global Geoparks raises: Tajikistan hosts a national meeting on its potential geoparks
26 July 2019	Call for Application for the Expedition “Adventure of Science: Women and Glaciers in Central Asia”
26 July 2019	Strengthening the Resilience and Reducing Vulnerabilities of Central Asia in Response to Glaciers Melting: Two Regional Project Proposals are Discussed in Almaty
1 July 2019	IV Art Academy of UNESCO Clubs
20 June 2019	Applications for the ‘Adventure of Science: Women and Glaciers in Central Asia’ Coming Soon
11 June 2019	Towards reinforcing the Man and Biosphere Programme in Central Asia
24 May 2019	For more biosphere reserves and stronger MAB programme in Central Asia: capacity building workshop in Almaty
22 May 2019	22 May - International Day for Biological Diversity
3 May 2019	South and Central Asia Biosphere Reserves Network meeting took place in Bhutan

Science for a Sustainable Future

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