Scientific and Technological Community
First Intersessional Meeting – Rio+20 Preparations
Statement for session on Institutional Framework, Tuesday, 12 January 2012
Mr. Co-chair,
Speaking on behalf of the Scientific and Technological Community, I have a comment and a
question. Here is my comment.
Both, international environmental governance institutions and the institutional framework for
sustainable development at all levels – for policy making and implementation - , require
access to the best scientific knowledge and engineering expertise available, including of
course knowledge in the social and economic sciences, as well as inte raction with research
communities worldwide.
Enhancing these institutions implies improving mechanisms for scientific inputand advice, as
well as creating effective mechanisms for a strong science – policy interaction and science
based decision-making.
In this context, we welcome the recent decision to establish the Intergovernmental Panel on
Biodiversity Expertise and Policy (IPBES) to provide the science base for the implementation
of the Convention on Biodiversity.
One last point: It must be ensured that scientific assessments and advice does involve
scientists from developing and developed countries alike. International environmental and
sustainable development institutions should support enhancing capacity building in
developing countries, including scientific and technological capacity. Similarly, these
institutions should support in a pro-active manner sharing of knowledge and of appropriate
technologies, both North-South and South-South.
My question to the panellists is what roles they see for science and technology in the
institutional arrangements for sustainable development and how to address the North –South
divide in scientific and technological institutional capacity?
Thank you.
