IAP-ISC Webinar on the UN Pact for the Future: Watch the recording

On 10 December 2024, the Inter Academy Partnership and the International Science Council (ISC), hosted a webinar on the UN pact for the future and its implications for international scientific collaboration. The webinar featured panelists including Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Rector of the United Nations University, Dr. Salvatore Aricò, Chief Executive Officer, International Science Council, and Masresha Fetene, Co-President, InterAcademy Partnership, Prof. Stephanie Burton, immediate Vice-President of Academy of Science of South Africa, and María Estelí Jarquín, International Relations Coordinator, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. The event has been recorded and is posted on the IAP website

The UN Pact for the Future was adopted in September 2021 and aims to reshape multilateralism, strengthen global governance, and promote the transformative role of science in addressing global challenges. The pact dedicates an entire chapter to science and its role in decision-making, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based decision-making. The panelists highlighted key aspects of the Pact, including its emphasis on science's role in decision-making and the importance of interdisciplinary research, international collaboration, and frameworks for sharing data and technologies.

The webinar also discussed the proposal for an international scientific panel on AI governance, where Dr. Tshilidzi Marwala, who is also an internationally renowned expert on AI, shared his thoughts on the key challenges and opportunities in establishing such a panel.

The conversation concluded with reflections on the role of industry in shaping the future of science, concerns about data ownership being concentrated among a few companies, and the crucial role of science and data in policy-making.

Watch the full recording of the webinar here:

The UN pact for the future was discussed, focusing on its implications for international scientific collaboration and the role of science in addressing global challenges. The panelists emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research, international collaboration, and the development of frameworks for sharing data and cutting-edge technologies. The conversation ended with a discussion on the role of industry in the future of science, the potential for data ownership by a few companies, and the importance of science and data in policy-making.

Read more about the webinar's speakers here.