The World Science Forum in Budapest – Science vital for sustainable development, UN chief says in message

Budapest, November 5 (MTI) – Science, technology and innovation are vital ingredients towards achieving the sustainable development goals adopted under the 2030 Agenda, the secretary general of the UN said in a statement to the World Science Forum that began in Budapest on Wednesday evening.

The statement by Ban Ki-moon was read to the audience by Flavia Schlegel, UNESCO’s Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences.

Ban Ki-moon noted that a summit held on climate change at the UN in New York in September adopted the transformative Agenda which includes 17 universal Sustainable Development Goals.

He made reference to the UNESCO’s 2015 Science Report that “provides both a baseline and springboard to take the sustainable development agenda forward,” saying that the document points to the value of sustained public investment in scientific research and development, and highlights growing collaboration to solve pressing sustainable development challenges, including climate change.

“We know that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will depend not only on the diffusion of technology but also on how well countries partner with one another in the pursuit of science to solve pressing social, environmental and economic problems,” he said.

“To take but one example, international cooperation on climate science is critical for informing the UN negotiations and shaping the decisions of global policy makers. Sound climate science, effectively communicated and disseminated through education and culture, is essential for helping our world navigate the challenges of increasingly extreme weather and other climate impacts,” he added.

Global scientific and technical collaboration on sustainable, clean energy is another area where science can make a vitally important contribution to one of the world’s most pressing needs, the secretary general said.

“I am convinced that your collective efforts and ideas will help ensure that sustainable development is rooted in knowledge acquired through science, education and culture,” he said.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters