Major Group: Science & Technology
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
The Science & Technology major group appreciates the fact that the Chair?s draft negotiating text
includes several points that our community has raised as key cross-cutting issues.
First, the document acknowledges the urgent need to increase support for research and development
efforts, especially for R&D aimed at further advancing clean energy technologies. I emphasize that
without strong support for R&D, it is likely that many of the issues we are struggling with today will
remain unsolved for decades to come.
Second, the document acknowledges the importance of technology transfer programs as a key strategy
for tacking all of the issues in this CSD cycle. Such efforts however, must take into consideration the
financial implications of advanced technologies for developing countries, and the many controversies
that remain in finding acceptable means of implementing technology transfer.
Third, the document acknowledges that the tremendous importance of building capacity in science and
engineering education and training, especially in developing countries.
This last point is of particular importance as a long-term basis for meeting the goals of sustainable
development.
I imagine you are all familiar with the adage that if you give a man a fish, he eats for a day,
but if you teach a man to fish, he eats forever.
Well in this spirit, I suggest that we must do more than just give a man a solar panel.
We must also give that man (or woman!) opportunities for education and training; opportunities that
will allow him to be more than just a passive recipient of technology transfer; opportunities
to design and implement the technologies and the policies that best suit the needs of his community.
These three points have been raised repeatedly by many of the government delegations here. So we
hope these three points will remain as strong priorities in the final report from this CSD.
And of course, we hope these will be more than just empty words on a page.
These words must imply a commitment to action, and the science and engineering communities will
continue to do their utmost to help governments implement these actions.
Thank you.
The Science & Technology major group appreciates the fact that the Chair?s draft negotiating text
includes several points that our community has raised as key cross-cutting issues.
First, the document acknowledges the urgent need to increase support for research and development
efforts, especially for R&D aimed at further advancing clean energy technologies. I emphasize that
without strong support for R&D, it is likely that many of the issues we are struggling with today will
remain unsolved for decades to come.
Second, the document acknowledges the importance of technology transfer programs as a key strategy
for tacking all of the issues in this CSD cycle. Such efforts however, must take into consideration the
financial implications of advanced technologies for developing countries, and the many controversies
that remain in finding acceptable means of implementing technology transfer.
Third, the document acknowledges that the tremendous importance of building capacity in science and
engineering education and training, especially in developing countries.
This last point is of particular importance as a long-term basis for meeting the goals of sustainable
development.
I imagine you are all familiar with the adage that if you give a man a fish, he eats for a day,
but if you teach a man to fish, he eats forever.
Well in this spirit, I suggest that we must do more than just give a man a solar panel.
We must also give that man (or woman!) opportunities for education and training; opportunities that
will allow him to be more than just a passive recipient of technology transfer; opportunities
to design and implement the technologies and the policies that best suit the needs of his community.
These three points have been raised repeatedly by many of the government delegations here. So we
hope these three points will remain as strong priorities in the final report from this CSD.
And of course, we hope these will be more than just empty words on a page.
These words must imply a commitment to action, and the science and engineering communities will
continue to do their utmost to help governments implement these actions.
Thank you.