As part of the sixth annual United Nations Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) held in early May 2021, GYA members Clarissa Rios Rojas (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom) and Mai Tolba (Ain shams University, Egypt) presented individual statements during Session 5: Emerging science and technology trends, challenges and the SDGs.
Clarissa’s Statement (full text available here) touched on the economic benefits of biodiversity, the costs and risks of biodiversity loss and global injustice and inequality. The video of her statement is available here:
Mai’s statement dealt with social media platforms and the opportunities and challenges they present for Open Science practices. Specifically, she discussed how social media tools can be harnessed to raise public awareness with the purpose of disease prevention, as well as to support good health and well-being (SDG#3).
As a member of both entities, Mai also highlighted the consistent support of both the GYA and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) for Open Science activities organized either by their members or their respective working groups.
The full transcript of Mai’s statement is available here.
Information on the STI Forum
As in previous years, the theme of the STI Forum was closely aligned with that of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), which will be held from 6-15 July 2021.
Session 5: Emerging science and technology trends, challenges and the SDGs, explored the latest developments in science and technology and their current and potential future impacts on sustainable development and the SDGs.
Special Presentation:
Mr. Elliott Harris, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development and UN Chief Economist [to present on “TFM findings on the impacts of rapid technology change”] [Presentation]
Panelists:
Mr. Peter Major, Chair, UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development [Statement]
Ms. Wilhelmina Quaye, Director, CSIR-Science and Technology Policy Research Institute, Ghana
Mr. Hiroshi Matsumoto, President, Rikagaku Kenkyūjo (RIKEN), Japan [Statement]
Interactive discussion (all stakeholders)
Mr. Pedro Quezada, Director General de la Optic, Dominican Republic
H.E. Ms. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Undersecretary for Research and Development, Department of Science and Technology, Philippines [Statement]
Mr. Preetam Maloor, Senior Strategy and Policy Advisor, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
H.E. Ms. Zahra Ershadi, Deputy Permanent Representative, Islamic Republic of Iran
Ms. Tiina Vihma-Purovaara, Senior Ministerial Advisor, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Finland [Statement]
Ms. Elenita C. Dano, ETC Group (Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration) [Statement]
Other inputs (no intervention):
Bulgarian Academy of Science [Statement]
Global Young Academy [Statement]
Smart Cheli [Statement]
University of Cambridge, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and Global Young Academy [Statement]