By Duncan Mboyah
Scientists have called on policy makers to adopt transformative and inclusive public policy responses to address global challenges.
The scientists note that science is a key global public good that calls for inclusion in policy and budget decisions in all countries.
All policy and budget decisions, they said, have to be backed by science and expertise since science supports foresight and a better understanding of the socio-economic drivers of sustainable transformations.
Speaking in Kigali, Rwanda during the 5th International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) the scientists noted that there is a need for a policy environment that enables science to thrive.
They noted that the engagement with science remains very uneven, more so in the Global South where technology and interface mechanisms are lacking to build a more robust and on-going dialogue between scientists, policy-makers and other stakeholders across the breadth of global issues on the multilateral agenda.
The scientists said that the current new and emerging challenges associated with technologies, energy transitions, the digital revolution, demographic changes and biodiversity loss call for decision-makers to embrace science advisory to be able to understand and navigate consensus.
Prof. Remi Quirion, President of INGSA urged policy makers to be proactive and accept robust knowledge to help manage a post-pandemic era that is complicated by climate change, biodiversity loss and war.
Science advice and science diplomacy have now been more essential than ever before due to the multiple challenges that face the world today,” Prof. Quirion told over 6,000 delegates from 65 countries attending the first INGSA conference to be held in Africa.
Prof. Quirion observed that governments and regional organizations need scientific advice to be able to run on the promise of changing the lives of populations by offering quality education, health care and food.
He said that countries that embrace science and technology can sustainably grow their economies as was the case in the United States of America (USA) which adopted science as a royal path to growth.
Prof. Quirion who is also the Chief Scientist of Quebec added that it is important that all governments, especially in the global South develop a science, technology and innovation policy.
This, he said, means that all governments should embrace science from primary, and secondary through to university colleges.
He said that the current-day community requires evidence, calling on scientists and policy makers to adopt policies backed by evidence to enable populations to feed the innovations.
Prof. Quirion urged governments to resort to science diplomacy to bring people together to solve global problems.
“Science is the only common language that needs to be included in the transboundary issues since it promotes the sharing of resources equitably,” he adds.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) said that policy makers have to work together with scientists to address mistrust amongst them and then help solve problems together.
Sir Farrar noted that whereas scientists cannot work in isolation, policy makers too stand to achieve less when they work in isolation hence the need to team up together for the benefit of populations.
The UN official said that countries need to allocate funds to leverage and maximize development plans.
He also urged scientists to maintain trust in society and anticipate the future rather than react to it.
Prof. Sujatha Raman, Chair of Science Communication for the Public Good the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) observed that the transformation calls for a radical change to embrace fresh integration between scientists and policy makers.
Prof. Raman said that whereas most governments intend to promote economic development and poverty eradication, technology to undertake some of these plans looms large.
She noted that there is plenty of evidence to show that science and technology has helped fix problems and will continue to do so in various areas such as energy, mining and agriculture in the coming years.
The scientists noted that to drive a more systematic, coordinated and inclusive approach to science in the global south, policy provides an opportunity to look ahead and identify opportunities for transformation.
