The latest IAP webinar, Report Launch: A Comparative Analysis of Themes Across S7/S20 and G7/G20 Statements, examined trends and insights from Science Academies' and Governmental statements. IAP co-President Dr. Peggy Hamburg and the CultureBase research team presented findings from their analysis of 10 years' data (2013–2023), revealing links between science-driven recommendations and governmental priorities.
Key Takeaways:
- Trends in Themes: Climate change, food systems, health equity and collaboration feature consistently across both S and G statements.
- Correlation Patterns: Evidence shows S statements often precede mentions in G statements, indicating the impact of scientific recommendations on policy.
- Emerging Topics: Issues such as neglected tropical diseases and disaster resilience receive episodic attention, while themes like open access and funding show growing interest.
- External Influences: Events like the Paris Climate Agreement and the COVID-19 pandemic shape statement priorities significantly.
The IAP analysis categorises 42 themes into six broad areas, including environment, health and socioeconomic issues. The findings highlight opportunities to guide future S and G engagements. Watch the full webinar below and explore the comprehensive report for detailed data and visualisations:
Key Themes and Observations:
- Policy Engagement Awareness
Policymakers show increased attention to scientific excellence, especially from 2016 onwards.
Topics like trust in science and evidence-informed policy rose sharply post-2019, influenced by pandemic dynamics. - Science-Society Relationship
Public involvement, trust and ethical research vary in prominence, reflecting evolving societal priorities.
Public engagement peaked in the mid-2010s but declined despite continued S-statement emphasis. - Emerging Technologies
Artificial intelligence consistently shows policy engagement ahead of scientific discourse, demonstrating rapid political uptake. - Modes of Influence Between S and G Statements
High-salience topics like crises show strong alignment between S and G statements.
Scientific inputs drive policy focus on critical but low-salience issues.
Some topics remain under-prioritised by policymakers despite S-statement emphasis.
Politically driven topics like AI evolve quickly, requiring academia to respond swiftly. - South Africa’s G20/S20 Outlook
South Africa’s focus for when its hosts the G20 meeting in 2025 is focusing on sustainability and well-being.
Poverty, economic growth, disaster resilience and open access data align with Global South priorities.
Collaboration with international academies will enrich discussions and ensure inclusivity.
Closing Notes:
A strong collaborative process between S and G frameworks underscores the importance of science-informed policymaking. South Africa aims to amplify the Global South’s perspective while addressing pressing international concerns. Beate Wagner, Managing Director of the Global Young Academy, highlighted the host-led nature of S20 agenda setting and its alignment with G20 priorities. Stephanie Burton (IAP Board member, South Africa) explained that S20 themes develop from previous discussions, global conditions and academy consultations, with initial meetings providing a platform for contributions. Discussions also explored the impact of S20 recommendations. Mohamed Hassan, President of the Sudanese National Academy of Sciences, asked about government uptake of these recommendations. Stephanie Burton shared that biodiversity and bioeconomy discussions had influenced her national government’s priorities. Ruth Cooper from the Royal Society noted that some S7 recommendations had been included in UK government communiques and were also internationalised via IAP Statements. Participants, including Peggy Hamburg (IAP Co-President) and Diane Negra (IAP Board member, Ireland), stressed the value of S20 outputs in addressing global challenges and the need for effective dissemination strategies. They acknowledged the complexities of modern media environments and emphasised the importance of maximising visibility for these vital contributions. The meeting highlighted the critical role of international collaboration in advancing science-driven policies and tackling global challenges.