Major Group: Science & Technology
Scientific and Technological Community
1st Intersessional Meeting for the Rio+20 Conference in 2012
Statement in Session on Green Economy, Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Gisbert Glaser, International Council for Science (ICSU)
Mr. Co-chair,
Several delegates have highlighted the role of science and technology in
promoting the Green Economy. Let me start, however, with a more general
point first.
In the debate up to now there seems to be agreement that insufficient
implementation of the outcomes of previous summits must be addressed by
Rio+20 and the pace and scale of implementation must be radically enhanced.
Measures aimed at strengthening the environmental pillar of sustainable
development must be accompanied by much enhanced measures aimed at
bridging the development gap between North and South and at reducing
poverty.
For the Scientific and Technological Community, the basic concept of Green
Economy should be that economic growth must become decoupled from the use
of fossil fuels, depletion of natural resources, degradation of ecosystem
services, and increased pollution.
We, too, believe that there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” green
economy“. It needs to be country and economic sector specific.
The Green Economy will need to be knowledge and innovation based. [Canada
just underlined this point emphasizing science based decision making. Mr
Moldan referred to the scientific work on integrated sustainable development
indicators.] However, in order to enable the scientific and technological
community to provide the necessary knowledge, information and data, national
and international research efforts, as well as scientific and technological
institutions must be significantly strengthened .What we need are much
enhanced investments in education, R &D, research in the natural and social
sciences, and engineering, and technological and socio-economic innovation,
for global sustainability.
My question to the panellists is:What role do you see for S & T in support of the
Green Economy and what is needed to strengthen research in natural, social,
and engineering sciences for global sustainability, and scientific and
technological capacities, in particular in developing countries?
Thank you.
1st Intersessional Meeting for the Rio+20 Conference in 2012
Statement in Session on Green Economy, Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Gisbert Glaser, International Council for Science (ICSU)
Mr. Co-chair,
Several delegates have highlighted the role of science and technology in
promoting the Green Economy. Let me start, however, with a more general
point first.
In the debate up to now there seems to be agreement that insufficient
implementation of the outcomes of previous summits must be addressed by
Rio+20 and the pace and scale of implementation must be radically enhanced.
Measures aimed at strengthening the environmental pillar of sustainable
development must be accompanied by much enhanced measures aimed at
bridging the development gap between North and South and at reducing
poverty.
For the Scientific and Technological Community, the basic concept of Green
Economy should be that economic growth must become decoupled from the use
of fossil fuels, depletion of natural resources, degradation of ecosystem
services, and increased pollution.
We, too, believe that there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” green
economy“. It needs to be country and economic sector specific.
The Green Economy will need to be knowledge and innovation based. [Canada
just underlined this point emphasizing science based decision making. Mr
Moldan referred to the scientific work on integrated sustainable development
indicators.] However, in order to enable the scientific and technological
community to provide the necessary knowledge, information and data, national
and international research efforts, as well as scientific and technological
institutions must be significantly strengthened .What we need are much
enhanced investments in education, R &D, research in the natural and social
sciences, and engineering, and technological and socio-economic innovation,
for global sustainability.
My question to the panellists is:What role do you see for S & T in support of the
Green Economy and what is needed to strengthen research in natural, social,
and engineering sciences for global sustainability, and scientific and
technological capacities, in particular in developing countries?
Thank you.