UNGA76 Science Summit

We are honored to be a prelude to the Opening Plenary and warmly invite participants to join us for a Fireside Chat with Victoria Miyandazi and Joy Malala. Followed in the second hour by Q&A and discussion which attendees will be invited to pose questions and comments in the Chat, and to be called upon by the Moderator, Mei Lin Fung. Please limit your remarks or question to 2 minutes to allow time for others to engage on this important topic - SDG 1 POVERTY.

SDG 1 Poverty
The SDG 1 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing - to end poverty in all its forms and everywhere by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, this goal includes the eradication of extreme poverty, the implementation of nationally appropriate social protection systems, and ensuring access to equal rights to economic resources. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve SDG 1 in every context.

The challenge is profound, the answer may lie in all of us, in our "togethership" and how well we can cooperate and have dialog,working through our natural differences, to achieve a higher common outcome that expands the opportunity for all to participate in a flourishing future for humanity.

Overview
The main objective of the SSUNGA76 virtual meetings will be to raise awareness of the role and contribution of science to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The event will also demonstrate initiatives that provide models for global science mechanisms and activities in support of the SDGs, particularly in the area of science infrastructure and capacity building.

Draft running order at 06h21, Tuesday 14 September 2021

All times are Central European Summer Time (CEST), Brussels/Rome/Madrid (NYC minus 6 Hours; Nairobi plus 1 hour; Tokyo plus 7 Hours)

15h00        Mr Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit at the 76th United Nations General             Assembly (SSUNA76), Spain
15h10        Prof Mark Ferguson Science Foundation Ireland
15h20        Prof Sir Peter Gluckman President-Elect, International Science Council
15h30        Dr Magdalena Skipper Editor in Chief, Nature, UK
15h40        Ms Maria Cristina Russo Director for Global Approach and International Cooperation, European Commission, Belgium
15h50        Prof Intisar Soghayroun Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Sudan
16h00        Dr Marcia McNutt President, National Academy of Sciences, USA

Moderator 
Professor Orla Feely Vice President for Research, University College Dublin, Ireland

16h10        Dr Patrick Worms Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry, Belgium
16h20        Prof George Church Harvard University, USA
16h30        Dr Klaus Uckel, Executive Director, DLR Project Management Agency, Germany
16h40        Dr Stefano Bertuzzi, Chief Executive Officer, American Society for Microbiology (ASM), USA
16h50        Dr Rolf Apweiler Director, The European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Germany
17h00        Dr Sri Fatmawati President of Indonesian Young Academy of Sciences
17h10        Ms Rahma Rachdi Paris Correspondent, United States Press Agency
17h20        Dr Michael Makanga Director, European Development Countries Clinical Trails Partnership (EDCTP), Netherlands

Moderator
Dr Rita Lawlor PhD. CIPP/E, CIPM, Fellow of Information Privacy (IAPP)
Biobank and Model Bank Director, ARC-NET Centre for Applied Research on Cancer
University of Verona, Italy

17h30        Sister Regina Nthenya AOSK Health Network Coordinator, Nairobi, Kenya
17h40        Dr Nevan Krogan Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco
17h50        Dr Jacqueline Fabius Chief Operating Officer, Quantitative Biosciences Institute
18h00        Prof Gilles Bloch President, National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), France
18h10        Ms Sumitra Rajagopalan CEO, Bioastra, Canada
18h20        MEP Eva Kaili European Parliament, Brussels
18h30        Dr Juan Miguel González-Aranda LifeWatch ERIC Chief Technology Officer and ERIC Forum Executive Board member
18h40        Prof Ian Jones Chairman, InnoPharma, Ireland

Moderator 
Ms Mei Lin Fung People-Centred Internet, Singapore

18h50        Ms Faatiha Aayat CHIL&D, Founder, USA
19h00        Dr Bernard Bigot ITER, Director-General, France
19h10        Prof Jean-Pierre Bourguignon Former President, European Research Council
19h20        Dr Alex Cahana DT Block Health Group, Africa
19h30        Dr Max Paoli Programme Coordinator, The World Academy of Sciences, UNESCO-TWAS, Italy
19h40        Prof Kurt Zatloukal Medical University Graz, Austria
19h50        Dr Kevin Govender Director, IAU Office of Astronomy for Development, South Africa
20h00        Dr Marta Fernández Suárez Senior Director of R&D, FIND, the Global Alliance for Diagnostics
20h10        Ms Nikiwe Bam (SMT) Academy, South Africa
20h20        Dr Nonhlanhla Lunjani University of Cape Town, South Africa
20h20        Conclusions

The global pandemic has shown how collaboration on science can mobilize a range of stakeholders to produce solutions. The evidence needs to create a dynamic and enabling policy and regulator environment at the global level. And this is why the UN General Assembly needs to consider research and development, science and innovation

Science is and will enable sustainable economic, environmental, and societal development. Science is more than a funding prioritisation exercise: science is impacting all areas of policy-making and is playing a more important role in how policy objectives are achieved and the consequent benefit to people everywhere including response to global challenges.

Engagement with policy leadership is more important than ever: UNGA is a unique forum for science to demonstrate how policy and political leadership can benefit from innovation. Central to this is the role of nonstate actors and the multilateral fora which are increasingly determining how priorities are set. Science needs to be part of this dialogue and inform outputs, through thought leadership, providing evidence, insights and analysis and innovation.

The UNGA76 Science Summit will examine the enabling policy, regulatory and financial environment needed to establish and sustain the science mechanisms, capacities required to support genuinely global scientific collaboration collaborations across continents, across nations and themes.
Attainment of the SDGs will require alignment on policy and regulation that impact science and technology. Alignment is necessary to ensure access to date and the resulting innovation. It is also necessary to enable the rapid sharing of data, the fair use of data and related benefit sharing.

SDG 2 Zero Hunger

The SDG 2 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing - to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.

Among others, this goal includes the end of hunger and ensure access to nutrition particularly by vulnerable people such as the poor and infants, the end of all forms of malnutrition, doubling the agricultural productivity, ensuring sustainable food production systems and maintaining the genetic diversity of seeds. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve SDG 2 in every context.

UN GA 76 SCIENCE SUMMIT   
THE UNIQUE ROLE OF ASTRONOMY IN ADVANCING THE SDGS1,2 
Organised under auspices of Intelligence in Science and AERAP by the  
International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Development and its European Regional Office3  
15 September 2021  15.00 – 17.30 CEST  
  
PROGRAMME 
15.00 – 15.05 Welcome and context  
Kevin Govender, Director IAU Office of Astronomy for Development 
 
15.05 – 15.10 Astronomy for Development – The IAU Role  
Debra Elmegreen, IAU President (Vassar College, USA) 
 
15.10 – 15.40 Introduction to Astronomy for Development4 
  Grace Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of    South Africa and Honorary Professor of Astronomy for Development at Leiden University  
15.40 – 15.50 Astronomy and the SDGs 
Chiara Moenter  (Windesheim College / Leiden University)  
 
15.50 – 16.05 Radio Astronomy Skills, Technology and Facilities in advancing the SDGs  
Anna Scaife (University of Manchester, UK) 
 
16.05. – 16.25  The role of the European Southern Observatory in advancing the SDGs 
Xavier Barcons, Director General European Southern Observatory 
 
16.25 – 16.35 Astronomy and Climate Action  
Violette Impellizzeri, Astronomers for Planet Earth (Yale University) 
 
16.35 – 16.45 The African Astronomical Society (AfAS): contributing towards SDG’s. 
  Charles Takalana, African Astronomical Society (Cape Town) 
 
16.45 – 16.55  Astrotourism and Economic Development  
Sonal Asgotraa, Project Manager, Astrostays 
 
16.55 – 17.05 Summary of OAD projects   
Ramasamy Venugopal (IAU Office of Astronomy for Development, Cape Town) 
 
17.05 - 17.15 Description of 4 selected projects, each for 2 min - prerecorded
 
17.15 – 17.35    Closing remarks, with concluding resolution about funding and discussion  
  George Miley, Previous IAU Vice President  
 
1 Complementary to the UN GA 75 Dialogue – Astronomy: A Unique Educational Tool for furthering the SDGs and Stimulating a Global Perspective https://astro4dev.eu/images/main/Dialogue_summary.pdf 
 
2 Funded with partial support of Grant 483.20.005 from NWO, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research 
3 Partnership between the European Astronomical Society and Leiden University 
4 Prerecorded. Lecture given at University College Dublin on the occasion of the award of an honorary doctorate to her by the National University of Ireland.

How to Write a Competitive Proposal for EU Funding Programmes
UN Summit 16th and 23rd September 2021
 Dr. Seán McCarthy Hyperion Ltd (www.hyperion.ie)

European Funding Programmes are one of the instruments used by the European Union to implement EU Policies. In the current funding period (2021-2027) there are over 30 funding programmmes – and each of these is divided into sub-programmes.

This workshop will address the following

1. Overview of EU Funding Programmes
This module provides and overview of the funding programmes with particular focus on opportunities for International Cooperation.

2. Overview of Horizon Europe
A quick overview of Horizon Europe will be presented. This will identify opportunities for International organisations. This section will also demonstrate how the UN Sustainable Development are used to define research topics in Horizon Europe
3. Strategic Networking at a European Level
Projects funded in European programmes typically involve a consortium of partners. This section describes how a consortium is structured, the different roles in a consortium and opportunities for newcomers to participate in funded project. The finals sections will provided advice on how to network strategically at a European level.
4. How Horizon Europe proposals are evaluated
In any funding programme it is critical to understand the evaluation process used. It is also important to understand the profile of the evaluators of proposals. The best way to understand this process is to become an evaluator. These issues will be presented in this section.
5. Guideline for Writing Horizon Europe proposals
Proposals are written to convince the evaluators on the merits of the ideas. This section describes how the evaluation process described in section 4 can be used as a template to screen and prepare competitive proposals.

When we gaze into the infinitude of space, we dream of endless possibilities both in hoping to understand the mysteries that lie beyond, as well as testing the limits of our inventiveness on Earth.
In recent times, the rapid expansion of the private commercial companies, public-private partnerships, and technological advancements & innovations are challenging the historic space practices. New opportunities such as extending edge computing to space, global collaboration in earth observation data and challenges like space situational awareness, space debris and need for new space policies are developing. In the midst of it all, a new landscape is emerging for the new space age, moving towards the democratizing access to space, by making space accessible beyond few nations.
At IBM, we’ve had the distinct honor of playing a key role in Space exploration since the beginning (NASA’s Apollo landing of humans on the moon). With our rapidly growing capabilities, we are ready to re-engage and innovate for the future space exploration efforts, helping bring humans back to the moon and beyond. 
We have a new groundbreaking CubeSat mission named “Endurance” in development, to Democratize Access to Space. It will provide the opportunity to every kid on planet, to access space, by pushing their code to CubeSat and running it in space. We are just getting started, and we truly believe that the sky is not the limit!

Join us on Friday, 17 September for a live discussion of how advances in data and technology can help achieve UN Sustainability Goals #2 and #9, specifically:

#2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
#9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Such goals are important to the future of our plan and humanity globally. Achieving occurs amid a background of the advancing speed, scale, and sophistication of new technologies and data capabilities that aid or disrupt our interconnected world is unprecedented.

While generations have relied consistently on technologies and tools to improve societies, we now are in an era where new technologies and data reshape societies and geopolitics in novel and even unanticipated ways. As a result, governments, industries, and other stakeholders must work together to remain economically competitive, sustain social welfare and public safety, protect human rights and democratic processes, and preserve global peace and stability.

Emerging technologies also promise new abilities to make our increasingly fragile global society more resilient. To sustain this progress, nations must invest in research, expand their digital infrastructures, and increase digital literacy so that their people can compete and flourish in this new era. Yet, at the same time, no nation or international organization is able to keep pace with the appropriate governance structures needed to grapple with the complex and destabilizing dynamics of these emerging technologies. Governments, especially democratic governments, must work to build and sustain trust in the algorithms, infrastructures, and systems that could underpin society. The world must now start to understand how technology and data interact with society and how to implement solutions that address these challenges and grasp these opportunities. Maintaining both economic and national security and resiliency requires new ways to develop and deploy critical and emerging technologies, cultivate the needed human capital, build trust in the digital fabric with which our world will be woven, and establish norms for international cooperation.

Data capabilities and new technologies increasingly exacerbate social inequality and impact geopolitics, global competition, and global opportunities for collaboration. The coming decade—the “GeoTech Decade”—must address the sophisticated but potentially fragile systems that now connect people and nations, and incorporate resiliency as a necessary foundational pillar of modern life. Additionally, the rapidity of machines to make sense of large datasets and the speed of worldwide communications networks means that any event can escalate and cascade quickly across regions and borders—with the potential to further entrench economic inequities, widen disparities in access to adequate healthcare, as well as to hasten increased exploitation of the natural environment.

The coming years also will present new avenues for criminals and terrorists to do harm; authoritarian nations to monitor, control, and oppress their people; and diplomatic disputes to escalate to armed conflict not just on land, sea, and in the air, but also in space and cyberspace.

Join us on Friday, 17 September for this live discussion as part of UNGA 76, co-hosted alongside the Atlantic Council’s GeoTech Center https://gtc.atlanticcouncil.org/

9:00 Welcome
9:05 Opening Keynote Education & Technology Vindhya C. India - Founder of "On That Job"
9:15 Introducing a series of Fireside Chats 
9:20 African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) - Layih Butake - Senegal
9:40 Human Trafficking, Education and the development of AI and Data for Good - Nicole Patrice deMember, CEO Indais
10:00 Science for Quality Education Dr. Jaagz Bajaj, UNESCO Focal Point
10:20 Participant Q&A
10:30 Closing Keynote IQ EQ DQ - New Intelligence in the AI Age - Dr Yuhyun Park
10:50 Closing remarks by speakers - moderated by Mei Lin
11:00 Close



SDG 4 Quality Education
The SDG 4 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing - to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, this goal includes free access to primary and secondary education for all boys and girls, access to adequate pre-school child care, as well as the elimination of all gender disparities in the access to education. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve SDG 4 in every context

How can Life Sciences contribute to addressing climate change?

• In the last decades, Life Sciences have gone through rapid technological development. The development of CRISPR/Cas9 as new gene-editing tools, the improved understanding of the functioning of proteins and the rapid advances in synthetic biology have opened novel ways how to develop new products in the health, agriculture and to drive sustainable processes. The development of mRNA vaccines against COVID 19 is one of the latest, most prominent examples.
• On the other hand, the impact of this Bio Revolution on tackling climate change has not been prominent in the public discourse, though a number of new applications left the laboratory in recent years to be tested on a larger scale.
• For this reason, the session brings together researchers and companies working on nitrogen fixation, carbon sequestration by biological processes and alternative protein/food with a potentially significant role to address climate change. They will debate with experts from politics, business and academia what impact these new innovations can have on dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as limiting land use to the benefit of biodiversity.
• The panellists will discuss the potential role these applications will have on tackling climate change, on the state of the Life Sciences and the possibilities of upscaling successful research, its potential impact on society as well as the regulatory and financial environment that could advance these applications.

1800 Welcome – Mei Lin Fung

1805 Fireside Chat on Women and Reproduction Africa Zanella with Mei Lin Fung

1815 Panel on Policy Recommendations for Gender Equality
-- Frauke Alves
--Lourdes Verdes-Montenegro
- Margaret Jesang Hutchinson
-- Nabla Kennedy

1835 UN-WSIS initiative on Gender Mainstreaming – Gitanjali Sah

1845 Women and Science Policy, Perspective from Africa – Lucienne Abrahams

1855 Future Forecasting Gender Equality - Cyndi Coon, Threatcasting/FutureCasting Lab, Arizona State University

1905 Vision for African Network for Women in Astronomy – Priscilla Mukehi

1915 Challenges and Opportunities in Advanced Manufacturing - Cecilia Ugaz Estrada, UNIDO

1925 Carla Sharp – Mega Science and the Contribution of Women to Science Policy

1940 Discussion and Participant input on Policy Recommendations

1950 Speakers closing statements on Gender Equality

2000 Close


SDG 5 Gender Equality
The SDG 5 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, this goal includes the eradication of all forms of discrimination towards girls and women, the end of violence towards girls and women, the elimination of all harmful practices such as genital mutilation and early and forced marriages, the recognition and valuation of unpaid domestic work, equal access to leadership positions, and universal access to sexual and reproductive health. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDG 5 in every context.

Women in Science must cross the chasm in the ScienceDigital Divide so that Scientific Research and Digital Innovations address the problems of most concern to us as humans: How can our children grow up safely? Can future generations be able to depend on our small blue marble planet as we have? How can people thrive and flourish by removing obstacles to economic and social opportunity? Leadership is needed and women everywhere are stepping up. Now we have to join forces to support each other's efforts. What are the policy instruments and decisions that will allow the world to harness the unstoppable energy and power of women?

This session will focus on the importance of co-designing science and innovation policies taking into account gender and diversity, in all of its aspects. It will highlight why we shall prioritize and support the engagement of women scientists in different associations, forums, their involvement in the whole co-designing policies process, and how that will improve science and technology developments for the benefit of our all society.

The session will stress the urgency of having clear policies focused on the improvement of the large gender gap in science that we are facing worldwide, and a need to bring clear measurements for improving the status of women and girls in science. Several initiatives and examples will be presented, including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum, the South African case study on women's contribution to science policy, and the African Network of Women in Astronomy (AfNWA-AfAS). Finally, a list of recommendations will be given to help in co-designing science policies in the future to empower women and girls in science and help to achieve sustainable development goals.

Misiones is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, strategically located in the extreme northeast of the country of the Mesopotamia region. Approximately 91% of its borders are international being surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and the Argentine province of Corrientes to the southwest. Border activity is intense with more than 27 million entries and exits reflecting that more than 100 million inhabitants live within a radius of 1000km. Misiones is an entrepreneurial province that seeks sustainable solutions for its forestry industry and its expanding smallholding agriculture that exports tea and yerba among other products. Indeed, Misiones is an entrepreneurial province looking for sustainable solutions for its forest industry and expanding agriculture. 
 
Misiones covers close to 1% of the Argentinian surface but harbours 52% of its biodiversity and the Iguazú waterfalls. The pristine Paranaense Forest, which is part of the almost extinct and outstandingly biodiverse Atlantic Forest, a worldwide recognized biodiversity Hot-Spot, is in Misiones. The original surface of the Atlantic Forest has been reduced by 95% over the last century and now the Paranaense Forest is facing a similar fate, in spite of all efforts made by the province, due to increased economic and demographic pressure that the province cannot face alone.  
 
The Instituto Misionero de Biodiversidad (IMiBio) was created as a unique autonomous entity financed by the provincial government and therefore dedicated to local and regional matters that will contribute to the solution of the global issues that humanity is facing as exemplified by the challenge to safeguard and restore the Paranaense Forest. IMiBio is advantageously located in the Paranaense Forest and has incorporated UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as an integral part of its objectives which evolve along five strategic axles that focus on science, health, civil society, gender equality and protection of genetic resources through management of the Nagoya Protocol. 
 
IMiBio investigates the Paranaense biodiversity per se, the interdependence of climate and biodiversity, SDG 15, Life on Land, biodiversity and health, SDG 13, Climate Action and SDG 3, Health and Wellbeing, how to restore biodiversity for future generations and to promote sustainable development. It generates knowledge in the areas of biodiversity and 
wildlife conservation, mapping, sustainability and restoration of forests, SDG 15 Life on Land, environmentally adapted and sustainable food productions systems, SDG2 Hunger, and SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, freshwater surveillance (SDG6.6; 15.1), zoonoses and their transmission along with the One Health initiative, human and animal health risks (SDG3), wildlife health status (SDG3), gender equality (SDG5), decent and sustainable work (SDG8), reduction of inequalities (SDG10), environmentally and climate sparing processes (SDG13). 
 
Ultimately, it is foreseeable that the Paranaense Forest will disappear despite all provincial efforts unless concerted actions are generated to safeguard it, and globally recognize its intrinsic value, and create sustainable models of development and conservation. 
 

RESUMEN PARA UNGA 76
 
Misiones es una de las 23 provincias de Argentina, ubicada estratégicamente en el extremo noreste del país en la región de la Mesopotamia. El 91% de sus fronteras son internacionales y está rodeada por Paraguay al noroeste, Brasil al norte, este y sur, y la provincia argentina de Corrientes al suroeste. La actividad fronteriza es intensa con más 27 millones de entradas y salidas lo que refleja la presencia de más de 100 millones de habitantes dentro de un radio de 1000km. Misiones es una provincia emprendedora que busca soluciones sostenibles para su industria forestal y su agricultura de minifundios en expansión que exporta té y yerba entre otros productos. 
 
Misiones alberga el 52% de la biodiversidad de la República Argentina, representando cerca del 1% de la superficie del país, con la maravilla mundial que son las Cataratas del Igauazú. Allí se encuentra la Selva Paranaense, que forma parte del casi extinto, y con una biodiversidad excepcional, Bosque Atlántico definido cómo un “Hot Spot” de biodiversidad reconocido mundialmente. La extensión del Bosque Atlántico se redujo en un 95% durante el último siglo, y ahora la Selva Paranaense enfrenta un destino similar debido a la presión económica y demográfica. Todos los esfuerzos realizados por la provincia, con mucho sacrificio, para guardar Selva Paranaense no son suficientes, Misiones no puede hacer frente sola a la desaparición de su joya de biodiversidad.  
 
El Instituto Misionero de Biodiversidad (IMiBio) es una entidad autónoma, única, que es financiada por el gobierno provincial, y se dedica a los asuntos locales y regionales como un medio para contribuir a la solución de los problemas globales que enfrenta la humanidad 
ejemplificada por la guarda y restauración de la Selva Paranaense. El Instituto está ubicado en la Selva Paranaense y ha incorporado los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) de la ONU como parte integral de sus objetivos, los cuales se enmarcan dentro de cinco ejes estratégicos que se enfocan en ciencia, salud, sociedad civil, igualdad de género, gestión y protección de los recursos genéticos en acuerdo con el protocolo de Nagoya.  
 
El IMiBio desarrolla investigación de la biodiversidad paranaense per se, la interdependencia del clima y la biodiversidad (ODS 15), la biodiversidad y la salud (ODS 13.3), la restauración de la biodiversidad para las generaciones futuras y la promoción del desarrollo sostenible (ODS 15.1-2; 15.5-9). Genera conocimiento en las áreas de conservación de la biodiversidad y la vida silvestre, cartografía de la selva, sostenibilidad y restauración de bosques (ODS 15); sistemas de producción de alimentos sostenibles adaptados al medio ambiente (ODS 2); y ciudades (ODS 11); vigilancia del agua dulce (ODS 6. 6; 15.1); las zoonosis y su transmisión a lo largo de la iniciativa “One Health”, los riesgos para la salud humana y animal (ODS3); el estado de salud de la vida silvestre (ODS3); la igualdad de género (ODS5); el trabajo decente y sostenible (ODS8); la reducción de las desigualdades (ODS10); y procesos respetuosos con el medio ambiente y el clima (ODS 13). 
 
Resumiendo, a pesar de los esfuerzos provinciales, la desaparición de la Selva Paranaense es previsible si no hay un esfuerzo concertado para generar modelos sustentables y reconocimiento internacional de su valor.  
 
En definitiva, es previsible que la Selva Paranaense desaparezca a pesar de todos los esfuerzos provinciales a menos que se generen acciones concertadas para salvaguardarlo, y reconocer mundialmente su valor intrínseco, y crear modelos sostenibles de desarrollo y conservación.

Agenda

• 1700 Welcome and Introduction to the topic – Mei Lin
• 1705 The Role of Language on the Frontier – Jeannette Stewart
• 1720 The Role of Professional Organizations like the IEEE – Sampath Veeraraghaven
• 1730  Fireside Chat – Case Study Kenya
  • Joy Malala,  Mobile Payments
  • Brian Omwenga, THINK and the role of government, academia
• 1800 Panel on Science and Collaborative Research in the Future – the role of People
  • Jeannette Stewart
  • Sampath Veeraraghaven
  • Brian Omwenga
• 1845 Participant Q&A
• 1900 Close

FUTURE FRONTIERS

Future frontiers of the global economy and society - from cyberspace to outer space - will determine the future prosperity and wellbeing of people all over the world in the decades ahead. As we are witnessing an increasing divergence of models, this transformation raises important questions about the interaction between economic opportunity, security, ethics, and human rights, and the balance between the role of the state, businesses and individuals.

The Shared Agenda for Global Action to Build Back Better following the G7 Summit agreed on a shared G7 agenda for global action to:

● End the pandemic and prepare for the future by driving an intensified international effort, starting immediately, to vaccinate the world by getting as many safe vaccines to as many people as possible as fast as possible. Total G7 commitments since the start of the pandemic provide for a total of over two billion vaccine doses, with the commitments since we last met in February 2021, including here in Carbis Bay, providing for one billion doses over the next year. At the same time, we will create the appropriate frameworks to strengthen our collective defences against threats to global health by increasing and coordinating on global manufacturing capacity on all continents; improving early warning systems; and support science in a mission to shorten the cycle for the development of safe and effective vaccines, treatments and tests from 300 to 100 days.

● Reinvigorate our economies by advancing recovery plans that build on the $12 trillion of support we have put in place during the pandemic. We will continue to support our economies for as long as is necessary, shifting the focus of our support from crisis response to promoting growth into the future, with plans that create jobs, invest in infrastructure, drive innovation, support people, and level up so that no place or person, irrespective of age, ethnicity or gender is left behind. This has not been the case with past global crises, and we are determined that this time it will be different.
● Secure our future prosperity by championing freer, fairer trade within a reformed trading system, a more resilient global economy, and a fairer global tax system that reverses the race to the bottom. We will collaborate to ensure future frontiers of the global economy and society, from cyberspace to outer space, increase the prosperity and wellbeing of all people while upholding our values as open societies. We are convinced of the potential of technological transformation for the common good in accordance with our shared values.
● Protect our planet by supporting a green revolution that creates jobs, cuts emissions and seeks to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees. We commit to net-zero no later than 2050, halving our collective emissions over the two decades to 2030, increasing and improving climate finance to 2025; and conserving or protect at least 30 per cent of our 1 land and oceans by 2030. We acknowledge our duty to safeguard the planet for future generations.

● Strengthen our partnerships with others around the world. We will develop a new partnership to build back better for the world, through a step-change in our approach to investment for infrastructure, including through an initiative for clean and green growth. We are resolved to deepen our current partnership to a new deal with Africa, including by magnifying support from the International Monetary Fund for countries most in need to support our aim to reach a total global ambition of $100 billion.

● Embrace our values as an enduring foundation for success in an ever-changing world. We will harness the power of democracy, freedom, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights to answer the biggest questions and overcome the greatest challenges. We will do this in a way that values the individual and promotes equality, especially gender equality, including by supporting a target to get 40 million more girls into education and with at least $2¾ billion for the Global Partnership for Education. We shall seek to advance this open agenda in collaboration with other countries and within the multilateral rules-based system. In particular, we look forward to working alongside our G20 partners and with all relevant International Organisations to secure a cleaner, greener, freer, fairer and safer future for our people and planet.

From the F7 June 2021 Final Communique

https://www.g7uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Carbis-Bay-G7-Summit-Communique-PDF-430KB-25-pages-1-2.pdf

SDG 9 Industry Innovation and Infrastructure
The SDG 9 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, this goal includes the development of quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, promotion of inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and the enhancement of scientific research. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDG 9 in every context.

The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) is a public-public partnership between 16 African and 14 European countries that aims to accelerate the development of new or improved medical interventions for the identification, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, including emerging/re-emerging diseases. Launched in 2003 and renewed in 2014, EDCTP has been the focal point of European Union (EU) support for global health research in Africa, and a visible sign of commitment first to the Millennium Development Goals and then to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). EDCTP actively contributes to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its associated SDGs, most directly to SDG3 (‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) but also to SDG1 (‘End poverty in all its forms everywhere).

Clinical trials supported by the second EDCTP programme (EDCTP2; 2014-2024) involve international collaborations spanning across over 60 countries and 350 institutions in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, with broader global collaboration. By June 2021, the EDCTP2 portfolio comprised 416 grants awarded through 60 Calls for Proposals, representing a total investment of EUR 810 million. Results from EDCTP-funded clinical trials have generated pivotal evidence which will be translated into policy and implemented in practice by the appropriate partners, ensuring greater global health impact. Due to launch in the first quarter of 2022, the future EDCTP programme (Global Health EDCTP3) will retain its focus on poverty-related infectious diseases affecting sub-Saharan Africa, but it will have additional resources and a stronger commitment to collaborative and coordinated approaches to address them, working with global and regional partners to tackle existing and emerging infectious disease threats. It will also continue to strengthen the enabling environment for conducting clinical research capacity in the region. Building on the foundation laid by the two previous EDCTP programmes, the partnership will ensure that more people gain access to new medical interventions and help to protect and strengthen regional and global health security.
On the occasion of the 76th United Nations General Assembly, this side meeting will aim to advance the broader discussion on how to ensure sustained support and advancement along the continuum of product development for infectious diseases, including scale-up, implementation and access in sub-Saharan Africa and globally, in the pursuit of achieving the health-related targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The objectives of the session will be to:

• Showcase how EDCTP contributes to the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Galvanise global policy support for Global Health EDCTP3, to increase awareness and build engagement with prospective partners
• Develop input on the United Nations roadmap for digital cooperation, including alignment with the EU’s digital transformation agenda for the EU and Africa
• Address health research obstacles including data governance, particularly access to and use of data by developing countries
• Further, discuss recommendations on clinical trial infrastructure and capacity building in Africa arising from a session hosted by the European Clinical Infrastructure Networks (ECRIN) and EDCTP on 17 June 2021 at the Africa-Europe Science and Innovation Summit
• Highlight the evolution of EDCTP into Global Health.

 
 
Agenda 
 
EDCTP: An EU-Africa partnership advancing global health research and cooperation
 
Chairs:   Marcel Tanner, EDCTP High Representative (Europe)
Leonardo Simão, EDCTP High Representative (Africa)

15:00-15:15 Welcome and session presentation from the co-Chairs, followed by opening remarks from:
Catarina Resende de Oliveira, Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB), Portugal
Daan du Toit, South African Department of Science and Innovation, South Africa (EDCTP General Assembly representative for South Africa)
Pedro Alonso, World Health Organization, Switzerland
Anthony Solomon, World Health Organization, Switzerland
Barbara Kerstiëns, European Commission, Belgium.

15:15-15:30 Keynote address - a global policy framework for global health and clinical trials, Marleen Temmerman, Aga Khan University, Kenya

15:30-15:45 EDCTP’s investment in global health and clinical trials: current progress and future perspective, Michael Makanga, EDCTP, the Netherlands

15:45-16:00 The importance of capacity development for advancing global health, research and development, Peter Kilmarx, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, USA

16:00-16:15 Data governance and fostering an enabling regulatory environment for global health and clinical trials, Margareth Ndomondo-Sigonda, AUDA-NEPAD, South Africa

16:15-16:40 Panel discussion on synergies with and between European Union and United Nations funding and policy instruments
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Johnson & Johnson, USA
Nkandu Luo, EDCTP General Assembly Representative, Zambia
Melinda Moree, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA
Seamus O’Brien, Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP), Switzerland
Magda Robalo Correia e Silva, High Commissioner for COVID-19, Guinea-Bissau

16:40-16:55 Audience Q&A and discussion

16:55-17:00 Wrap-up and closing remarks

South-South/North  Science  Capacity  Building  and  Research  Collaboration  for
the SDGs 


The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation [UNOSSC] is a knowledge hub
providing advisory and consulting services that works to nurture South-South linkages
through research and analysis that inform intergovernmental dialogue, leading to policy
decisions on strategies and practical programmes essential to the deepening of South-South
cooperation.

Guided by the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, its policy work includes
advocating for the adoption of South-South approaches to development globally and in the
United Nations system. In this area, the activities of UNOSSC are designed to enable
developing countries to effectively face their development challenges and harness
opportunities to address them by improved collective problem-solving. Through a better
conceptual understanding of the real value of South-South cooperation efforts to achieve
internationally agreed development goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals can be
met.

The work of UNOSSC in this area also includes technical advice to United Nations Member
States and other partners on measures to integrate South-South and triangular cooperation
into the operational programmes and policy advisory services of the United Nations
Development Programme [UNDP] and United Nations country teams.

The majority of the policy work of UNOSSC is carried out through:
§ effective servicing of intergovernmental bodies, including the High-level Committee
(HLC) on South-South Cooperation (SSC), enabling policymakers to take informed
decisions on issues and strategies relevant to SSC in bilateral, regional,
intergovernmental and multilateral processes;

§ enhancing the effectiveness of United Nations system support, especially that of
UNDP, to SSC for development; and

§ assisting developing countries to integrate SSC into their national development
policies, strategies, and programmes.

Recognising the enormous scope for the contribution of science and innovation to the SSC
process, and the holistic collaboration of the South South with the North Professor Mammo
Muchie, Tshwane University of Technology, will lead a roundtable meeting within the context
of the UNGA76 Science Summit which will take place virtually from 14 September to 30
November 2021.

Entitled South-South/North Science Capacity Building and Research Collaboration for
Advancing the SDGs, the session will contribute to raising awareness of the contribution of
science, collaborative research and development and innovation to addressing the challenges
set out in the SDGs, and how responses can be developed, in particular, ensuring innovative
science capacity building across the South-South and connecting this process to North
initiatives for a truly global response. The session will look at the enabling policy and
regulatory environment impacting science performance. Regarding themes, the session will
be cross-thematic, focusing on environment and health, recognising the interplay between the
SDG Sunday science and innovation response mechanisms.

Ensuring access by the South-South community to scientific data at global level, including
ongoing research resources, patent data and information, best practice and use cases, as well as stimulating inclusive collaborations and in particular, promotion South-South actors in
North research initiatives, infrastructures and capacity building initiatives which support
science at the global level.


AGENDA  is attached as a document.

Speakers:
Prof. Kurt Zatloukal, M.D., Medical University Graz, Austria
Dr. Zisis Kozlakidis, PhD MBA FLS, IACR / WHO
Prof. Jens K. Habermann, M.D., Ph.D., BBMRI-ERIC
Prof. Dr. Marialuisa Lavitrano, University Milano Bicocca, Italy
Prof. Fredrick Chite Asirwa, M.D., International Cancer Institute, Kenya

Abstract Prof. Zatloukal:
Title: Global health challenges and biobanking
Abstract:
Societal changes go hand in hand with new health challenges such as ageing population resulting in an increase in certain diseases and increased health care expenditure, which places pressure on the sustainability of healthcare systems. Furthermore, new threats to health have emerged, such as pandemics and problems related to climate change. These challenges can only be efficiently addressed if research is translated to innovative solutions for improved prevention and treatment of diseases. Such solutions have to be based on solid scientific facts requiring international and interdisciplinary collaboration.  A key resource for such research are biobanks that provide access to human biological samples that are linked with detailed information on diseases and lifestyle. These resources together with latest analytical and data management technologies are essential for generating new knowledge on diseases as a prerequisite for innovation in the health industry and improved health outcomes.

Abstract Dr. Kozlakidis: 
Title: Biobanking in the digital health age
Abstract:
Digital health solutions and health information technology are systematically transforming the way health care is delivered in the 21st century. At the same time biological samples are collected from patients and the general population from biobanks for use in research. Biobank commonly refers to a large, organised collection of well-characterised tissue samples such as surgical biopsies (fresh frozen or in paraffin sections), blood and serum samples, different cell types and DNA – all carefully collected for research purposes. The implication of biobanking is that the tissue samples will be collected with associated biological and medical data (such as biochemical test data and imaging data). Therefore, the ascent of biobanking into the digital health age is inevitable. The presentation will focus on the development of biobanking in relation to digital health, providing examples from a range of geographical areas, including from resource-restricted settings, and how such research infrastructures can support the SDG, in particular SDG 3.

Abstract Prof. Habermann:
Authors:              Michaela Th. Mayrhofer, Andrea Wutte, Petr Holub, Lukasz Kozera, Luc Deltombe, Jens K. Habermann
Title:                     BBMRI-ERIC Biobanks & Biomolecular Resources supporting SDG 3
Keywords:          Biobanking, Precision Medicine, Quality, ELSI, Samples, Data, Networks, Cancer, COVID, Rare diseases, Paediatrics,
Abstract
BBMRI-ERIC stands for “Biobanking and BioMolecular resources Research Infrastructure – European Research Infrastructure Consortium” (www.bbmri-eric.eu). Currently, 21 European countries and the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer constitute with its National Nodes and affiliated biobanks BBMRI-ERIC as a research infrastructure, providing services and connecting biobanks across Europe. BBMRI-ERIC’s mission is to facilitate access to sample and data as well as to biomedical resources. This is facilitated through services and advancements in the areas of Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues (ELSI), Quality Management (QM), Information Technology (IT), Research & Development (R&D), Education & Training (E&T), Public Affairs (PA), and Marketing & Communications (M&C).
This presentation will highlight how BBMRI-ERIC supports SDG 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages by enabling (i) access to over 600 biobanks in our biobank Directory hosting more than 2,500 collections with estimated >100,000,000 samples and associated data, (ii) how this is facilitated by current and prospect IT solutions, (iii) how quality measures are implemented and further developed, (iv) how our ELSI experts across Europe support research and guide on matters ranging from data protection to incidental findings, and (v) how we position our community’s services and research together with our stakeholders and partners in the overall EU research landscape in order to advance and implement precision medicine while fostering efficient yet competitive, cutting-edge and value generating research within Europe and across the globe.
 
Abstract Prof. Lavitrano:
Title: Open Data and Open Science for the SDGs, the role of Biobanking
Abstract:
The United Nations has created 17 interlinked Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that “recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth—all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.” Achieving the SDGs will need a paradigm shift in the way we are doing and managing science today.
Open Data and Open Science could be a game changer for achieving the United Nations SDGs, particularly in the health context as demonstrated by the COVID-19 emergency.
The presentation will focus on the contribution of biobanking in the development of Open Science providing access to human biological samples and the associated clinical and lifestyle data according to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) principles in the frame of the European Open Science Cloud Association environment.
 
Abstract Prof. Fredrick Chite Asirwa
Title: Biobanking in Africa: The time is now
Abstract:
Across the globe, to tackle the huge cancer burden, it has become increasingly urgent to translate bench-to-bedside. There is no geographical region that needs this more than sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where a lot remains unknown in the, causation of cancers, efficacy, targets and outcomes of therapeutic interventions amongst different populations with diverse genetics. 
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) estimates that globally, 1 in 5 people develop cancer during their lifetime, and 1 in 8 men and 1 in 11 women die from the disease. These new estimates suggest that more than 50 million people are living within five years of a past cancer diagnosis. In addition, Cancer death rates in Africa have been projected to exceed the global average by 30% in the next 20 years. Therefore, there is an ever-increasing role for ramping up research especially in SSA through adoption of tools including clinical tissue biorepositories that can potentially be used for functional studies and personalized oncology care.
Inequities in cancer care access makes for a compelling reason for increased investments into biobanking, linkage to digital pathology, clinical tissue repository, electronic medical records with functional tumor registries.
I present the case of the International Cancer Institute’s progress towards incorporating the Digital Clinical Data with our digital Pathology platform towards the development of our biobanking unit and Next generation sequencing (NGS) at our ICI Laboratory in Kenya, in support of SDG 3.

The world is undergoing a fourth industrial revolution at an unprecedented rate. Africa must proactively embrace it to ensure the communities benefit, and the youth succeed in the new world. Africa is yet to realize its potential in the digital space and leverage technology to build a more prosperous society. Urgent, bold, and coordinated action is needed so we can make this transformation successful. Leveraging these digital opportunities demands a new mindset and leadership. Like many new and mostly unknown opportunities, there are risks to mitigate and lessons to be learnt to ensure our future is safe and inclusive. To realize this newly identified opportunity it demands learning, collaboration, and partnerships, both within and beyond Africa.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced economic growth and altered patterns of international economic interactions. While we are still in the midst of the crisis, there is real concern that the majority of macroeconomic effects will not be temporary, but will disproportionately shift long-term development pathways in low- and middle-income countries, offsetting some of the gains made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in recent decades.” UNDP - Analyzing long-term socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 across diverse African contexts 2021.
 
The need to design innovative programs targeting over 50% of the African population i.e. its youth is critical at this preceding moment. Kilimanjaro Innovation Hub (KIH) is established with a broad social entrepreneurial vision of capacity building of the youths, empowering with business, entrepreneurial and digital skills to remove insecurity and instil confidence. KIH envisioned a nation free from unemployment and ensured fruitful engagement in the economic development of the country by attaining innovation, entrepreneurship and digital literacy.
 
Objective

• Building the skills of youth in ICT that will enhance their digital and marketing skills to promote commerce
• Training in business development, financial management and entrepreneurship;
• Provide a platform for startups working on innovation to transform their pilot-scale initiatives into impactful ventures
• Training in supply chain management in order to become connected and value add across the spectrum
• Mobilize funds from national & international organizations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, private sector for seed money and grant-making
• Creating collaborative and consortium partnerships for promoting entrepreneurship
• Extend initial support or tie-ups for startups to scale up their innovations
• Link the startup entrepreneurs with investors and financial institution to enable them to raise the seed capital
• Create inter-generation link through mentorship and coaching
• Bridge the gap between education –internship-to employment

Studies are showing the long-term effect of the economic downturn caused by COVID 19 pandemic will lead to an erosion of the gains made towards the SDG’s. While still there are a lot of unknowns the need to create economic empowerment for the youth will ultimately help to sustain the gains and lead to greater development. Kilimanjaro Innovation Hub envisions to be a real source to achieve the SDG’s in Africa. The Session will examine how:

• Creating an innovation hub in Africa will contribute to economic growth and partnership and creativity across the continent;
• Investing in skill and empowerment of youth helps to sustain the gains made towards SDG’s;
• Expanding talents on ICT will enhance youth digital and marketing skills to promote commerce in general and e-commerce in particular;
• Indigenous knowledge can be aided through technology and innovation to create sustained solutions;
• International cooperation and partnership flourished through innovation;
• Investment in economic empowerment of youth speed up the economic recovery from COVID 19 pandemic;
• Kilimanjaro innovation hub envisions to be a real source to achieve SDG’s in Africa.

www.kilimanjarohub.com

This session will discuss Science as a means for development in the Arab region and how cooperation in science at national, regional, and global levels will support the efforts towards achieving the UN SDGs. It will present the efforts in conducting science from policies to actions including research, education and innovation and related cooperative projects and activities.

We will explore and present efforts and plans on achieving the UN SDGs through Science with a focus on SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 14: Life below Water. Furthermore, the session will cover more aspects of Science Cooperation

The Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN) has adopted strategies of open science, open data and open access in cooperation with the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) and national authorities of relevance in addition to regional organization. The main objective is to facilitate comprehensive access to scientific resources and repositories in order to enhance productivity in science and innovation in research.

Science and research user communities enabled scientists and academics to be engaged with their peers through research and education communities to exchange knowledge, share experience and best practices, and collaborate to solve pressing scientific programs.

The Arab states Research and Education Network is a not-for-profit organization with the fundamental objective to implement, manage and extend sustainable Pan-Arab e-Infrastructures dedicated for the Research and Education communities and to boost scientific research and cooperation in member countries through the provision of world-class e-Infrastructures and e-services.

www.asrenorg.net

Nature based solutions: the mythbuster session.

The overwhelming evidence that climate change requires drastic action and that the decarbonisation of transport, industry, energy systems, construction and the rest of our economy, is unlikely to proceed at a pace sufficient to avoid serious catastrophe has led many to focus on nature-based solutions - sometimes as a stopgap while the rest of the economy is decarbonised, sometimes as a major contributor to solving the problem, as with BECCS, BioEnergy with Carbon Capture and Storage.

However, much of the resulting discussion fails to take into account the complex interactions between the biosphere, the atmosphere, the lithosphere, the cryopsphere, the oceans and more.

The good news is that properly implemented nature-based solutions, especially those affecting agriculture and forestry, could draw down a large part of the excess carbon in the atmosphere. But what does "properly implemented" mean? Is the solution really as simple as avoiding beef and planting trees? In this session, we'll explore some tenacious myths about nature-based solutions involving agriculture, forestry and livestock rearing, and discuss what the science tells us.

Are massive tree planting campaigns really the right way of getting the climate and other benefits of forestry?

Is moving to a vegan diet really the best way of diminishing the emissions of agriculture?

Is helping smallholders adopt agroecology really the best way of enhancing the efficiency of agriculture?

What are the most promising ways of protecting and boosting biodiversity in agricultural and forestry landscapes?

What role do forests play in the global water cycle? What does this imply for forestry?

How should the planet assuage its growing hunger for timber and fibre?

In short, what are the most promising kinds of nature based solutions, and how should they be harnessed?

Our speakers will explore the state of the science on these questions, and help us coalesce around some basic rules to guide investors and policymakers as they seek to navigate this extraordinarily complex space.

How to Write a Competitive Proposal for EU Funding Programmes
UN Summit 16th and 23rd September 2021
 Dr. Seán McCarthy Hyperion Ltd (www.hyperion.ie)

European Funding Programmes are one of the instruments used by the European Union to implement EU Policies. In the current funding period (2021-2027) there are over 30 funding programmmes – and each of these is divided into sub-programmes.

This workshop will address the following

1. Overview of EU Funding Programmes
This module provides and overview of the funding programmes with particular focus on opportunities for International Cooperation.

2. Overview of Horizon Europe
A quick overview of Horizon Europe will be presented. This will identify opportunities for International organisations. This section will also demonstrate how the UN Sustainable Development are used to define research topics in Horizon Europe
3. Strategic Networking at a European Level
Projects funded in European programmes typically involve a consortium of partners. This section describes how a consortium is structured, the different roles in a consortium and opportunities for newcomers to participate in funded project. The finals sections will provided advice on how to network strategically at a European level.
4. How Horizon Europe proposals are evaluated
In any funding programme it is critical to understand the evaluation process used. It is also important to understand the profile of the evaluators of proposals. The best way to understand this process is to become an evaluator. These issues will be presented in this section.
5. Guideline for Writing Horizon Europe proposals
Proposals are written to convince the evaluators on the merits of the ideas. This section describes how the evaluation process described in section 4 can be used as a template to screen and prepare competitive proposals.

Geoscience for the SDGs

The United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals represent the global strategy for achieving a better future for all. Yet, the Earth subsystems required to support the SDGs have been largely ignored. The agenda overlooks the spatial boundaries and geophysical processes of Earth subsystems such as river basins and coastal deltas, and the consequences of environmental feedbacks on the SDGs remain a key knowledge gap. The problem stems in part from the national-level focus of SDG monitoring and reporting, which is of course a matter of pragmatism in global policy, but it is compounded by the lack of geoscience in the SDG debate.

Excellent progress has been made in evaluating how the pursuit of certain SDGs might affect others globally and across different socio-economic contexts, these assessments are invariably performed with countries as the units of analysis instead of Earth subsystems. Recent research has expanded to account for the SDG interactions between countries that are embedded in global trade, but the interactions among SDGs, as well as the overall success of the 2030 Agenda, may look very different if one considers different environmental contexts, different system boundaries, longer timescales, or indeed other indicators beyond those defined by the 2030 Agenda.

Take, for example, river basins and coastal deltas. Coastal deltas are hugely important places to focus on in order to meet the SDGs, being home to more than 5% of the world’s population despite accounting for less than 0.5% of the world’s land area. Such high population density leads to substantial pressure on environmental resources, as well as challenges in providing adequate housing, ensuring good sanitation, and maintaining health and well-being. Deltas are also hugely important for global food production because of their flat lands, fertile soils and historically abundant freshwater resources. But deltas are precariously positioned between upstream basin development pressures and rising sea levels, and consideration of this Earth-system context will be key to any successful implementation of the SDGs in these places.
The river basins that drain to coastal deltas often span multiple countries, and downstream inhabitants depend on upstream freshwater and other resources provided by the river.

Policymakers need to think longer term and across scales. The processes relevant for Earth systems span national borders and play out over timescales well beyond the 2030 horizon of the SDGs. Focusing on SDG interactions in the here and now could blur important future implications, both ‘here’ and in other places.
Limitations to the national-level structure of SDG monitoring and reporting must be addressed. Better spatial and temporal resolution of SDG indicator data will help5, but this alone will not suffice.

Africa-EU Infrastructure for Geoscience (AEIG)

The “Africa-EU Infrastructure for Geoscience (AEIG)” initiative can provide a bridge between key policy objectives in Europe and Africa. This initiative has been constructed within the framework of the Africa-Europe Radio Astronomy Program (AERAP). The Africa-EU Infrastructure for Geoscience (AEIG) will provide:
• Human capital development including designated funding for the development of young women
geoscientists and young researchers.
• Synergies between African and European geological surveys and research consortia.
• Support for water security, agricultural sustainability, energy security, raw materials
availability especially with regards the critical minerals necessary for decarbonisation, the blue
economy, and community safety from geohazards including climate change and the Green Deal.
• Critical information for global, national region and local government policymakers, land-use
and natural resources management and regulators;
• Digital and sensor infrastructure for geo-and related sciences.

The European Commission’s Africa Strategy calls for partnerships to achieve common goals is in line
with UN SDG 17, “partnerships for the goals” and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 for socio-economic
transformation. The foundation for this strong and enduring partnership needs to be rooted in our
shared Earth, informed by the knowledge of what science and technology can bring. Geoscience is
required to justly achieve the green transition and the digital transformation while delivering the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals for our planet home.

Viable solutions to ensure carbon neutrality in Europe by 2050 must be based on accurate, reliable
Earth-related data. Strategically collecting the vast amounts of necessary data will involve developing
and constructing cutting-edge analytical platforms and ICT infrastructure. It will also require a step-
change to empower African and European citizens to engage in citizen projects throughout our two
continents. The production of young new geoscientists, particularly women, with data analysis and
management skills together with an engaged public will accelerate sustainable growth, create new jobs,
and provides the promise of more virtual mobility through the availability of the new data.
Beyond the direct data and related societally important knowledge gained an AU-EU geoscience
partnership would also yield exciting new insights in fields such as geodesy and geodynamics and is
likely to influence existing fundamental scientific paradigms in myriad other fields from astronomy to
zoology.

An AU-EU partnership in geoscience can be leveraged through the expansion of the existing cooperation
between the Organization of African Geological Surveys (OAGS) and the European Geological Surveys
(EGS) such as PanAfGeo which has been ongoing since 2016. iCRAG, which is a large multi-institution
the research group working across the full spectrum of earth science and sustainability topics in both
Europe and Africa is ideally placed and actively seeking to aid in ensuring an AU-EU partnership
delivers on goals critical to addressing the primary challenges outlined in the European Commission’s
comprehensive strategy with Africa.

Indigenous Knowledge Research Infrastructure (IKRI) 
To Support the Implementation of UN Food System Summit (23 September 2021)  Action Area: “Support Means of Implementation”, including addressing SDG 10 to Reduce inequalities and support the digital transition
As part of the Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit, CANEUS, together with the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC), United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), The Africa-Europe Science and Innovation Platform (AERAP) and the LifeWatch ERIC Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services Research Infrastructure, will organise a session titled ‘Integration of Frontier Technologies and Indigenous Knowledge for Food Systems Transformation’ online on 23 September 2021 at 14:00 hours.
The session will launch the “Global Research Initiative and Knowledge Repository to integrate Indigenous Knowledge into the Food Systems”.
The initiative and related repository have the following objectives:

• Sensitising decision making about the use of IK in food systems;
• Trigger Public-Private interest and develop entrepreneurship;
• Protect geographic set up of indigenous systems;
• Link IK with biodiversity knowledge systems
• Establish producer to consumer connection;
• Technology transfer for the benefit of indigenous people, as well as the food systems.

The meeting will demonstrate how Indigenous knowledge (IK) is critical for Food Systems. It adds diversity, enhances nutrition, improves immune and health, has environmentally sound practices that are resilient to risks and disasters, and is climate-sensitive.

The session organised by COST, European Cooperation in Science and Technology. COST is a funding organisation for the creation of research networks, called COST Actions. These networks offer an open space for collaboration among scientists across Europe and beyond and thereby give impetus to research advancements and innovation. COST creates spaces where scientists are in the driving seat (bottom-up) and ideas can grow through a flexible and open approach. By enabling researchers from academia, industry and the public and private sector to work together in open networks that transcend borders, COST helps to advance science, stimulates knowledge sharing and pools resources.
 
The session has been designed to portray COST as an existing instrument allowing and encouraging global RTDI collaboration. It aims to advance the broader discussion on the needs and challenges of global RTDI collaboration and how these could contribute to the realisation of the UN SDGs. The COST Programme, celebrating its 50th birthday in 2021, has a vast experience in establishing and maintaining long-standing and trust-based collaboration among research and innovation partners from the different continents.
 
The event presents four different COST Actions to explain their journeys and share their experiences on global collaboration. The four real life examples brought to the audience will be complemented with an overview on the COST Programme and its operation. The voice of the external user will be given from the national research policy angle and the European strategic thinker point of view.

The third SDG aims to ensure the health and well-being of all, by improving reproductive, maternal and child health, by reducing the main communicable, non-communicable, environmental and mental diseases. Health Research is key to attaining the SDGs, and its 13 targets.

Inserm is the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in France. Its’ one goal: to improve the health of all by advancing knowledge of life and disease, innovation in treatment, and public health research. In partnership with UNESCO, in a panel chaired by Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, four top researchers and directors of thematic institutes at Inserm, will present the ways in which their health research contributes to reaching the SDGs, setting up platforms for international scientific collaboration, promoting partnerships and shedding light on ‘4 health pillars’ of concern to societies.
4 Pillars and challenges to Health ResearchIn collaboration with Inserm, UNESCO is organising this panel during the Science Summit at the UNGA 76 on 24 September 2021 from 12pm-1:30 pm, on addressing four key challenges to Health research, namely infectious diseases, climate change and health, psychiatry, and the healthy ageing.
1° In mental health: The OMS clearly states: there is no overall health without mental health, which is explicitly targeted in the SDG3. However, research in mental health is critically under-funded. This can have dramatic consequences at a time when mental health issues have considerably increased with COVID. Yet investment in research in psychiatry would benefit in return to all sectors of society. Pr Marion Leboyer, a leader in the field of psychiatry in France, will present the priorities of the European roadmap for research in psychiatry and the French “PROPSY” project which aims to carry out research and innovation in the service of mental health.
2° In healthy ageing: The recent evolution of human demography and global changes, with in return impacts on health, represent worldwide challenges. Should societies fail to address these challenges, aging may constitute a self-amplifying mechanism of increasing poor health and social inequalities. Fighting the deleterious effects of aging is a major marker of worldwide identity as part of a One Health strategy. With recent tremendous progress in understanding the basic biological mechanisms, the time is right for investment in aging biology research to find solutions at the crossroads of several SDGs. Pr Eric Gilson, who won the Inserm Grand Prize in 2019, will present the programs “BioAgir” and “InterAging”, mobilizing innovative scientific approaches based on the most recent advances of aging biology to prevent and treat age-related diseases with an aim to build an international coalition.
3° In climate change and health: Climate change is likely to affect health through various mechanisms. Those currently identified include extreme temperatures, extreme weather events, flooding, drought, changes in the suitability of climate for disease transmission and in the distribution of infectious diseases vectors, food security... Dr Rémy Slama, director of the Public Health Thematic Institute, will briefly present the available evidence regarding these mechanisms of action of climate change on health. In addition, he will argue for the importance of considering health and equity in designing policies to adapt to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, many countries have committed to reducing such emissions in the next decades, as part of the application of Paris climate agreement. The changes towards a carbon neutral society will imply to deeply modify the sectors of activity with the highest greenhouse gas emission levels, which include transportation, agriculture, energy production, industrial production. All are deeply connected with health (agriculture through diet, energy production through air pollution, transportation through physical activity and pollution…), and changes in these sectors could help improve public health and reach some of the SDGs. For this reason, climate change is at the same time a threat and a potential opportunity for public health.
4° In emerging infectious diseases: After the rapid succession of emerging and re-merging infectious diseases with pandemic potential in the 2000s, and the great amplitude of the Covid-19 crisis, the French government decided to create a new autonomous agency of the Inserm: the ANRS|Emerging infectious diseases. Created on Jan. 1st, 2021 as a merger between the consortium REACTing specialized in preparedness and response, and the French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis (ANRS), Dr. Hervé Raoul, Deputy Head of the Agency, will present the new agency which now includes emerging infectious diseases. Its missions are to fund, evaluate and coordinate research. To fulfil its missions the agency is involved in numerous international networks (GLoPID-R, EDCTP, ISIDORE). Furthermore, it is part of an ambitious high-priority research program dedicated to emerging infectious diseases to strengthen epidemic preparedness and management. It comprises 4 objectives: acquisition of basic knowledge, strengthen infrastructures and networks, introduce a preparation and response strategy, boost innovative public health strategies. These international partnerships and programs are a strong and pluridisciplinary framework to structure the development of the new agency.
Outcomes proposed from the meeting 

• 1. Showcase innovative research taking place in projects, programs and initiatives in these four key challenges of health research
• 2. Discuss opportunities and proposed strategies to support interdisciplinary approaches
• 3. Provide networking opportunities to strengthen the scientific community and their impact on world society and establish cooperation for future research and development projects.
• 4. Contribute to the development of a road map for enhancing policy environments and mechanisms to support interdisciplinary health research translation and bridge the “Know Do” gap in the global south.

Ecosia is a general-purpose search engine that plants trees with profits. That such ‘community interest companies’ fund societal causes may resonate increasingly with consumers, especially given the difficulties of competing economies to embrace a necessary change in their priorities. Are we not fighting over the deckchairs on the Titanic?

Open Science can accelerate the advancement of knowledge and help humanity with its problems. Open Science can also power Invention Machines, that can convert Open Science into Closed (patent-protected) Technology. It has been postulated that Invention Machines will result in the consolidation of intellectual property in the hands of large corporations. Is this not further compounding our problems?
And what of an Invention Machine powering invention for community interest companies?

Open Science
Scientists have long published in journals to share their discoveries, to enable their peers to review their work, to be cited, and to promote further discovery. Open Science promotes the additional disclosure of all related data, samples, software, and lab notebooks including the failures as well as the successes, to accelerate further discovery.


Open Science is strongly linked to Open Access: the free dissemination of research rather than peer-created and peer-reviewed literature requiring subscription to journals or sitting behind paywalls. Proponents of Open Science have proposed the FAIR data principles for all scholarly output: notably that it should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (ref). FAIR is about machine-readability, given that research efforts systematically use computers. Accessible is ‘Accessible under well-defined conditions’ and neither obligatorily Open nor free, this to allow the participation of more actors to FAIR.
Open Science and FAIR will power Social Machines (ref.1) that ‘will dominate science in the near future’ (ref.2).
 
Invention Machines
Social Machines network human intelligence and artificial intelligence (AI) to do what neither can do alone. AI receives mixed press and is alternately described as the saviour and nemesis of society, however in terms of furthering science it is a no-brainer.

However, AI is a game changer: whilst it has long been said that ‘copying one person is plagiarism and copying many people is research’, AI can copy almost everyone. In science speak, AI can stand on the shoulders of almost everyone.

Humans are required to feed and nurture Social Machines whilst the AI can mine Big Data, finding links, piecing together puzzles, and solving problems: Social Machines can also be Invention Machines (ref.3).
Does Open Science power Closed Technology? Patent protection is society’s reward for a contribution to knowledge that includes a technical solution to a problem. The word patent derives from the Latin ‘patere’, meaning to lay open: the knowledge needs to be shared as part of a deal that sees the owner of the patent awarded an exclusion right, typically lasting 20 years. The owner can ringfence an invention or license it. The patent system was designed to encourage innovation for the benefit of society. Originally conceived to reward a ‘flash of genius’, whether serendipitous or born from hard work, the judgement of whether there had indeed been a ‘flash of genius’ was changed to ‘non-obviousness’ for the needs of the chemical industry. This was required to justify invention from massive screening processes.

Patent law does not presently preclude the use of AI. AI is certainly more than a screening process, but does the information industry stand to earn more than a fair reward for its contribution to knowledge when so many of the building blocks used have been Open and FAIR? Is this Collective Intelligence or Collecting Intelligence?
Openness is commonly referred to as ‘sharing’. It is attached to the notions of social responsibility and the common good.

It is often said that data is the new oil. Unlike oil, sharing data, information and knowledge means copying it; however, like oil, sharing can equate to giving it away. Sharing is not share-and-share alike and need not be fair.

It has been postulated that the cost of Invention Machines will see the future consolidation of Intellectual Property (IP) in the hands of major corporations (ref 4).
Is this a fair deal for society? And is this in society’s interests? Can we put our faith in Big Tech and Big Pharma?

Do we understand what we are getting into? Technologies can be created and implemented before the related science is understood, before public awareness or public debate about the consequences, and long before any legislation is considered. Who would have imagined that innocent Facebook ‘likes’ can now be used to define a person better than they can themselves, and how personal profiles can be used nudge opinion à la Cambridge Analytica?

What of the promises of Open Science, that ‘together we can cure disease’? The promise that the Internet would generate a ‘long tail’ of innovative niche companies would appear to have failed. Are not the Internet and the Network Effect rather building monopolies?
And what of data, economics, and democracy (refs.5a 5b) And what about mitigating climate change? ‘That the now dominant capitalist economic system is unsustainable is not in doubt’ (ref.6). We need change of the right kind.

and achieving the SDGs
Machiavelli is often quote about the difficulties of the introduction in a new order of things (ref.7). We need change ASAP. To create a ‘new world order’ is not for tomorrow (ref. 8). Even changing patent and/or tax law (ref. 9) are doubtless longer-term projects. Many people want to know what they can do now (ref. 10). Many entrepreneurs have created companies providing a social and/or environmental impact and consumers can support them.

Community Interest Companies (CIC) are an existing instrument in many jurisdictions. They compete in market economies, can borrow, and make profit, but must give at least a part of their profits back to their customers. Ecosia, the search engine that plants trees is a brilliant example.
Making money somewhat flies in the face of reducing consumerism and consumption, but privileging resale, reuse, repair, refurbishing and recycling? In terms of the necessities of information and food could society not be better nourished? Consumers will not want to pay over the odds, but the CIC model may become increasingly attractive to consumers and entrepreneurs alike.
And an Invention Machine for CICs? Could not Citizens and CICs build a Social Machine for their and all our benefits. The system could be free to use but at least some information would not be Open. Durham Zoo is a proposal for getting started.

Title: Using science for/in diplomacy for solving global challenges

Date: 24th September 2021 at 3:00pm-5:00pm (CEST)

Abstract: Science diplomacy is important in times of global challenges, and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this in particular. Therefore, the DLR Projektträger, the Project Management Agency (DLR-PT) and the European Union Science Diplomacy Alliance kindly invite you to this session on Science Diplomacy. Highly ranked experts from science, policy and innovation will discuss the role of science for/in diplomacy and policy for addressing global challenges like health, climate change and clean water.

They will exchange views on the interesting paradox – which many countries and organizations face - between ‘competition’ and ‘openness’ rationales in these and other fields: on the one hand, the promotion of a country’s scientific competitiveness and innovation potential and on the other hand, efforts to foster collaboration among countries in the international arena to tackle global challenges. In the discussion, the panellists will elaborate on opportunities and challenges, limitations and needs for improvement in national, regional and international Science Diplomacy approaches.

Speakers:

• Tim Flink, Science Diplomacy expert at the Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Member of the European Union Science Diplomacy Alliance
• Peter Gluckman, Liggins Institute of the University of Auckland, chair of the International Network of Government Science Advice (INGSA)
• Jan Marco Müller, Science and Technology Advisor at the European External Action Service (EEAS)
• Mona Nemer, Science Advisor to Canada’s Prime Minister and Minister of Science
• Daan du Toit, Deputy Director, Department for Science and Technology, South Africa

Moderators:

• Angela Schindler-Daniels, Head of DLR Office Brussels and Chair of European Union Science Diplomacy Alliance (Moderator)
• Maria Josten, Science Diplomacy expert at the DLR Projektträger, the Project Management Agency (DLR-PT) (Co-Moderator)

SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities 
The SDG 11 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, this goal includes the insurance of access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing, access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems, the reduction of the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, and universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve SDG 11 in every context.

SDG 13 Climate Action
The SDG 13 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, the goal includes strengthening the resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters, the integration of climate change measures into national policies, and improved education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDG 13 in every context.

Research funding on science and innovation is becoming more and more mission-oriented in order to push topics that contribute to the solution of societal challenges, such as the ones connected to the SDGs. Therefore, the DLR-Project Management Agency kindly invites you to look at possible approaches from research management for the attainment of the SDGs.

Highly ranked experts on science, policy and innovation from Africa, Europe and Latin America will illuminate possible approaches and difficulties for research management to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs from different perspectives: multilateral advisor perspective, research perspective with a regional focus, monitoring instruments in multilateral STI cooperation and the perspective of research transfer to practice. Based on their own extensive experiences, the panellists will exchange ideas about what must be done in research management to better address the SDGs.

The session addresses the following questions:

• Are new formats of funding needed?
• How can stakeholders be involved in order to address global challenges?
• How can we understand and measure the impact of science to these challenges?
• Is a new framework needed to integrate the SDGs into the framework of impact assessment of STI policies?

With over 30,000 members, including researchers, educators and health professionals, ASM is one of the largest life science societies in the world.

A Resilience Strategy for the UN Sustainable Development Goals – A New Approach
 

Resilience is acknowledged both explicitly and implicitly in a range of the proposed SDG targets. For example, Target 1.5 represents the core resilience target, as follows: ‘By 2030 build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations, and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.

The vision set out in the SDGs – for people, planet, prosperity and peace – will inevitably fail if shocks and stresses are not addressed. The pledge that ‘no one will be left behind’ requires a specific focus on the poorest and most vulnerable people. A focus on strengthening resilience can protect development gains and ensure people have the resources and capacities to better reduce, prevent, anticipate, absorb and adapt to a range of shocks, stresses, risks and crises.

However, the ongoing SDG implementation is likely to fall short of its intended goal unless attention is given to the interconnectedness of the SDGs and the socio-technical ecological system upon which they depend. Simply quantifying a list of risks, i.e., the SDG’s, and not examining their interconnectedness will prevent a resilient strategy to be put in place.

Slowly emerging challenges (e.g., climate change, rising levels of obesity, ageing populations), as well as shocks and crises (e.g., terrorist attacks, extreme weather events, pandemics), are continually testing the resilience of systems (natural or designed). Whilst, resilience is about addressing the sources or causes of future challenges e.g., climate change through adaptation. It is also about our ability to cope with disruption e.g., extreme weather events (through mitigation).

The Need for Investment in resilience at a significant scale is too frequently made only after a major shock – e.g. pandemic, hurricane, and drought, and confined to those areas in which the shock appears to have principally affected. Often such investments are made to address the previous shock, rather than what is likely to come. A radically different approach is becoming ever more urgent if we are to secure the resilience of our society and natural resources (see, for example, Nature 581, 119; 2020). Society must go beyond siloed strategies to include all components of the system in which we live, and address these at three timescales – reactive, adaptive and provident (Weise et al, 2020).

The delivery of the SDGs occurs within tightly coupled systems of systems, contain poorly understood interdependencies and shared vulnerabilities and opportunities, which cannot be considered in isolation. Ensuring resilience across large-scale complex programmes, emerging from formerly independent technologies and their associated human systems, such as critical infrastructure, is challenging due to emergent system behaviour at different scales (e.g., industry, community, region). This may produce unexpected behaviour, with such systems vulnerable to cascade failures. The science of complex systems and resilience has been a fruitful area of research but predominantly occurs within cognate areas and disciplines. Although disciplines are still important, providing linkages to well-characterised and developed conceptual and theoretical frameworks based on extensive, rigorous evidence, the science of resilience, focusing on the interdependencies and feedbacks between the five capitals components of the system is in its infancy.
Common threads in the work on resilience are the notions of "capital" and "service flows" and the role of feedbacks and diversity.

The 5 capitals

The "Five Capitals" schema attempts to capture the entire system.

• Natural = ecosystems/assets from which there are a flow of services and/or products;
• Social = pattern and intensity of networks and beliefs among the population that add value to organisations and communities;
• Human = collective skills, and knowledge that can be used for economic value and that promote wellbeing;
• Built (manufactured) = materials, goods or fixed assets contributing to the production process but are not part of the output;
• Financial = representative of outputs of others (e.g. shares, bonds, cash). Mapping the SDG’s to the Five Capitals, figure 1.0, identifies a complex system:
• what are their identities, connections, interdependencies and feedbacks?
• How does investment in one, secure outcomes in others?
• if we degrade one, are others degraded?
• Is this always the case?

Figure 1.0: The Connection between the 5 capitals and the UN SDG’s Connected approach will enhance resilience SDGsIt is proposed that a programme of work on Connected Resilience is developed and resourced with academic involvement from several disciplines, institutions, and countries. It is also firmly stakeholder-led and hence highly applied.

This interdisciplinarity means that the research on resilience spans the remits of traditional funding sources. The UN and its partners represent one of the few interdisciplinary funding sources that will allow this work to develop further. It is foreseen that UN/partnership funding would accelerate and amplify the research on connected resilience, which would support the delivery of the SDG goals. Furthermore, it is hoped it
would provide the basis for further collaborative projects with the numerous statutory and non-statutory organisations involved in the practical implementation of resilience interventions.

The work would examine different kinds of systems and scalability across system levels (micro to macro), which facilitate integrative conversations and science across disciplines concerned with socio-technical-ecological adaptation in a potentially threatening world. Addressing the key question of how the components of the SDG system work, their interdependencies and feedbacks, is, we suggest, the principal way in which resilience can be described and secured, with a properly engaged group of disciplines and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive approach for developing a cross-sectoral, multi-dimensional and dynamic understanding of "Connected Resilience" that will be conceptualised and applied through research and implementation within the UN.

References

• Nature 581, 119 (2020)
• Weise, H., Auge, H., Baessler, C., Bärlund, I., Bennett, E.M., Berger, U., Bohn, F., Bonn, A., Borchardt, D., Brand, F. and Chatzinotas, A., 2020. Resilience trinity: safeguarding ecosystem functioning and services across three different time horizons and decision contexts. Oikos, 129(4), pp.445-456.

Transforming the structure of economies so they are inclusive and sustainable depends on the right infrastructure, industries and innovations. 

Typically, this entails a move from agrarian to industrial, service or knowledge economies. While the process may seem gender-neutral, often it is not.

Looking at it from a global perspective we will see that most countries in the world have pledged and signed agreements vis a vis the protection of women at work but has ignored the crucial role that women play as mothers and as creators, often creating a civil and socioeconomics disconnect, for women around the world.


The aim is to create awareness of how being a woman slows down our trajectory as economic beings and create a disconnect between their roles as mother and as workers thereby keeping many women in a state of poverty and inequality in many parts of the world.YET we will argue that the new digital ERA provides an opportunity for women to be more active and better prepared to claim a space in the workforce and demand more protection and incentives for child-rearing in order to achieve sustainable development and indeed the survival of humanity as a whole.

The fact is that population growth is a tricky subject with many pros and cons, so if we speak of extinction, Africa and Latin America versus Japan and EU for example is a very different perspective that needs scientific measure.

The reproductive rate of Africa reaches around 6 children at times in the latter mentioned countries, the problem is that it is decreasing dramatically leading to a greater ageing population.

There is without a doubt, a correlation between SDG1 and SDG8 and leaving behind economic security creates poverty or disadvantage for women of childbearing age.

Women at work, have made some progress for parity and equality, but much needs to be done if we consider the Sustainable development goals target of 2030 and how women play a significant part in its success both as mothers and as workers in the society where they live and work .

One of the greater issues for social science in this gender economics field has been associated with the collection of data and indeed how we measure desegregate gender statistics globally.
Women at work is an economic and social necessity in today's society. However, the dilemma of women with children at work needs further analysis as for example the current drive for more women and girls in STEM is showing an increase in participation. However, once women have children they often leave the workforce or chose to take on lesser roles in order to deal with family duties and ageing parents.
Some women chose not to have children and that's fine. It is a personal choice but those that do must be supported with policies and programmes at all levels in civil society for obvious reasons.
This session will deal with the elephant in the room i.e Women that work and have children, touching on issues of work-life balance, maternity laws and empowerment, social infrastructures and policy regarding children and age care support, and of course for us professional full-time worker, incentives to continue working, after pregnancies so as not to lose talent and economic power.

The session will be conducted by a team of experts fromCSGE Spain.

Agenda

10h00 Rita Lawlor Biobank Director, ARC-Net
10h15 Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit United Nations General Assembly 76 (SSUNGA76)
10h20 Kenneth Fleming Chairman, The Lancet Commission on Diagnostics,
10h35 Antonella Cardone Director of the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC), Belgium
10h50 Giske Ursin Director of the Cancer Registry of Norway
11h00 Andrew Biankin Executive Director, International Cancer Genome Consortium, UK
11h10 Jean-Claude Burgelman Professor of Open Science Policies and Practices, Free University of Brussels
11h20 Lydia Kline Team Lead, Clinical Research Policy in the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Science Policy (OSP), USA
11h30 David Peloquin Partner, Ropes and Grey, USA
11h40 Kato Kazuto Osaka Universit, Japan
11h50 Brendan Burns Brendan Barnes, EFPIA, Director IP & Data Protection, EFPIA, 

This session will consider how regulations in data protection, medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics influence cooperation in medical science and health research to support the SDGs.

The session will initially focus on the European General Data Protection Regulation and its influence on the global stage. Given that its scope already extends beyond the borders of the European Union, it is arguably becoming the template for global legislation.

Therefore, the session is designed to impart up-to-date information on the European Union's GDPR; to look specifically at related research collaboration between South Africa and African and the European Union and the impact of the GDPR on those research activities, in particular in the area of health. The meeting will also raise awareness of the emergence globally of data protection regulations and related future developments in South Africa and more generally in the continent of Africa.

The GDPR also addresses the transfer of personal data outside the EU, including to African nations and developing nations more generally. The GDPR aims to give control to individuals over their personal data, to ensure the free flow of personal data between the Member States and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU.

Because research involving human health, drug safety and clinical trials requires the processing of personal data, the GDPR has posed particular challenges to the research sector both within the EU and elsewhere.
As the “Africa Initiative” is an integral part of the first Work Programme for 2021-2022 of the recently adopted “Horizon Europe”, it is important to consider how African Nations address should compliance and prepare for future data protection regulations in Africa.

The discussion will also consider the wider impact of how regulation can advance are otherwise innovation. It will look at The session will maintain a focus on the GDPR, but will look at this in the wider geographic context and in relation to other regulations including in-vitro diagnostics, medical devices and so forth. We also plan to visit the issue of biotechnology-related regulation and digital market regulations and the connection between them.

While conscious of the need to avoid a European bias in this discussion, it will be perhaps useful to look at the plans for the EU digital decade up to 2030, which coincides with the United Nations Agenda 2030 and of course the SDGs. Some of the issues to the fore, include:

• A digitally skilled population and highly skilled digital professionals;
• Secure and sustainable digital infrastructures;
• Digital transformation of businesses;
• Digitisation of public services.
• 
  

These priorities are also reflected in the United Nations roadmap for digital cooperation which prioritises the following five sets of recommendations on how the international community could work together to optimize the use of digital technologies and mitigate the risks:

• Build an inclusive digital economy and society;
• Develop human and institutional capacity;
• Protect human rights and human agency;
• Promote digital trust, security and stability;
• Foster global digital cooperation.

While the UN has put forward some very thorough recommendations, the UN cannot regulate. This is the preserve of nation-states. The meeting will look at how this fragmented and heterogeneous regulatory environment impacts the attainment of the SDGs.
The meeting will bring together policy and research leadership from around the world. The objective will be to create a much-needed forum for discussion on the broader implications of this regulation on transatlantic science cooperation, at a time when the regulation is arguably becoming a template for similar legislation globally.

The Digital Transition for Healthcare – Stay Left, Shift Left [DT 28]
A paradigm, policy, platform and prescription for wellness and better health

Prof. Martin Curley, Director Digital Transformation and Innovation, HSE
Declan Kirrane, CEO, ISC Intelligence in Science

The broad adoption of Digital Health as a paradigm, platform and a policy will be fundamentally important to the achievement of SDG #3; Ensure Healthy Lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.
Introduction – Why?
All around the world healthcare systems are facing increasing pressures and demands. Well developed countries are facing epidemics such as Diabetes or Obesity while developing countries struggle to leverage diagnostics and access to medicines. All health systems have struggled to cope with the Covid 19 pandemic but there has been a benefit in that many health systems turned to digital solutions to cope. Despite the progress many countries have runaway health budgets with rates of growth which are unsustainable. Arguably Digital is the best Medicine for our sick healthcare systemi. Leading physicians such as Erik Topol and Robert Wachter have written about the creative destruction of medicine and digital doctors respectively but how do we make the digital transition of healthcare as quickly and sustainably as possible. Michael Porter and Elizabeth Teisberg have long advocated for redefining healthcare using value based competition. In this context a new paradigm is emerging, Open Innovation 2.0 which helps enable structural transformation of an Industry through digital technologies and trust based co-opetition1.

In the past the arrival of a single disruptive technology such as railways or the internal combustion engine drove dramatic societal change and benefit. Today we are at a unique point in history where we have multiple digital disruptive technologies all showing up at the same time. Technologies such as Cloud Computing, Mobile and Social, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things create opportunities to radically transform healthcare. According to the OECD Healthcare is a decade behind other industries in digitalizing https://www.oecd.org/health/health-in-the-21st-century-e3b23f8e-en.htm but the time is now to harness these digital technologies to help lengthen life expectancy and provide more effective and cost efficient care. Covid 19 has been a big bang disruptor forcing the healthcare industry to adopt digital solutions – necessity is the mother of invention. Digital technology can be a democratizing force for achieving health equality with digital solutions enabling remote diagnostics, consultations and more effective medicines for all.
The opportunity: The Digital Dividend
Digital Technologies create the opportunity for the dominating paradigm of healthcare to change. Today’s healthcare systems are reactive and focussed on trying to restore health to ill people. The opportunity exists to shift resources and focus to keep well people well or helping treat people with
chronic conditions mainly in their homes or in the community. With digital technologies it is becoming possible to offer citizens equivalent or better care in their homes than in a hospital or clinic and at lower infection risk. Acute Hospital services consume much of healthcare systems budget but basing the healthcare system on secondary care is inefficient – there is a higher return both financially and in terms of patient outcomes by applying a proactive healthcare approach, for example monitoring citizens proactively to detect chronic disease emergence allowing for earlier more holistic interventions.
What? - Stay Left, Shift Left
To align and accelerate progress we propose that countries adopt a Stay Left, Shift Left paradigm, policy and platform for adopting digital health solutions. The HSE's digital innovation strategy is called Stay Left, Shift Left (SL2) and extends the concept of "Shift Left" which was first introduced by Intel Corporation's Doug Busch and Andy Grove and is an approach to using solutions to make people's health better. SL2 helps implement the Irish Government Health policy Slaintecare.
Stay Left: is about keeping well people well or if you happen to have a chronic condition you can be managed best of all at home
Shift Left: is about moving patients as quickly as possible from an acute to community to a home setting


Each time we seek a disruptive technology outcome we look for four linked outcomes, the so called quadruple aim, improvement in quality of care, quality of life, clinician experience and reduction in cost of care. 2 For such a complex transition we need take a new approach, choosing platforms not products for building next generation healthcare systems. By using interoperable platforms with open programmable interfaces (APIs) we create a platform for both significantly improved healthcare and
further innovation. The use of digital and other technologies can achieve 10X impacts in cost or quality of care and life.

Leap Frog Strategy

With the confluence of different digital technologies there is the possibility for both developing and developed countries to agree and execute a Leapfrog strategy. Instead of concentrating on deploying monolithic electronic healthcare record systems in acute hospitals, countries should focus on deploying home and community based solutions and shared care records that are mobile and cloud based. Advances in the Medical Internet of Things mean that low cost but effective remote monitoring and consultation tools can be deployed. Health system wide efficiency and effectiveness can be significantly improved as well as individual outcomes being be significantly better.


We propose that countries move their healthcare systems from paper and presence based systems to digital, virtual and cloud based systems where healthcare takes place primarily in the home and community. In this new model the focus shift to proactive, preventative and predictive health. Data is more joined, linked and used to better specify and target interventions. The use of closed loop digital systems which enable precision real-time care to be provided. Digiceuticals and digital theraputics will become common place with physicians or real-time AI systems suggesting and actioning new or modified titrations of medicine. Already Germany has moved to put in place a registry and approval progress for so called DIGAs.3

Many countries lack of a roadmap for digital health progression. Together with the Innovation Value Institute and other stakeholders we have set a collective goal of building a Digital Health Capability Maturity Framework which will allow countries assess their current level of digital health maturity and determine next actions to improve outcomes. Having a simple common model will streamline how all actors in the digital health ecosystem can innovate and work together to provide best outcomes for all.


The capability maturity framework consist of four macro capabilities and maturity paths how much and how we spend our digital health budget, how we develop and orchestrate collective digital health capability, how we measure and manage digital health value and finally the business model we deploy and use for digital health. We expect that in the future all health will become digital health but for now it is useful to discuss and measure digital health maturity.
Determinants of Health

Most healthcare spending is focussed on Healthcare Delivery but paradoxically healthcare outcomes are only 10% determined by Healthcare delivery. Other factors such as behaviour, genetics and public health are far more impactful as shown in the attached figure. The emergence of digital technologies such as the internet of things and artificial intelligence can significantly influence and change behaviours and create precision medicines for people with certain genetic dispositions. The digital transition thus can also enable a shift in policy, budget and emphasis on proactive/preventative healthcare.


A H

The session will examine how a systems approach will be necessary to ensure the transition and translation of research into tangible innovation outcomes to address grand challenges. Innovation has many dimensions and has many different policy expressions. The session will look at a more robust integration between SDG objectives and how to realise change efficiently, particularly between developing nations and developed nation actors and stakeholders willing to be part of the transition. Policies and regulations need to enable the political narratives that are the SDGs., To ensure people’s lives are improved wherever possible.

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) for Sustainable Development
Science and innovation need to be more responsible, inclusive and responsive to societal needs, expectations and values. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG´s) are the common global benchmarking framework to measure them. The European Commission has been promoting the concept of Responsible Research and Innovation ( RRI) as a new approach for a more inclusive, ethical, open, diverse/engendered science and innovation with better governance.

As underlined by the UNESCO Global Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation (GO-SPIN), national STI governance systems-together with Research and Innovation (R&I) culture and values- can play an important role in the support of RRI policies and practices.

The UNESCO Recommendation on Science and scientific researchers- UNESCO RS/SR Recommendation- paves the way for RRI relevant aspects such as ethics (intellectual freedom, ensuring scientific researchers’ protection and career prospects/facilities, responsible and peaceful application of S&T, pluralistic values, impact on society-environment); diversity (of disciplines and non-discrimination on race, gender, age, disability; societal engagement (include ILK, right to health, promotion of science diplomacy); open science (much broader than open access). Within this package of issues, the emphasis on the well-being of researchers deserves note: fair retribution, career stability/prospects, public recognition, social security, mobility support and equal access and participation in the international community, are not just conditions for individual participation in R&I but also requirements for STI systems to serve their societies and ensure the contribution of R&I as requested to meet the SDGs.

Moreover, the monitoring system for this recommendation requests Member States to report every four years on its implementation and will include RRI related indicators and policy instruments.

The session will build on the results from two key EC RRI projects: RRI Networked Globally ( RRING) and Grounding RRI in Research Performing Organisations in Marine and Maritime  (GRRIP) to extract lessons and discuss implicit (i.a. funding programs, tax incentives, RRI assessment and indicators as a pre-requisite for national calls participation, etc.) and explicit policy instruments (i.e. migration policies, work permits, statistics laws, etc.) and that need to be strengthened or redefine to support RRI structural change.

Speakers and AGENDA of the session

• 17h:  Introduction by the chairwoman: Ms. Juliana Chaves-Chaparro, UNESCO Senior Consultant

• 17.15h: Implementing RRI in a Public Research Organisation- Swansea University Experience by Ms.Ruth Callaway, PhD, FHEA Senior Research Scientist, Swansea University

• 17.35h: The 2017 UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers in support of SDGs by Mr. Konstantinos Tararas, Programme Specialist, IRD Section, UNESCO Sector for Social and Human Sciences

• 17.55 h: Co-designing structural changes for a more Responsible Research and Innovation within GRRIP project by Malcolm J Fisk, Professor of Ageing and Digital Health PhD MA BSc FCIH FRSA Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility De Montfort University, Leicester UK

• 18.15h: Promoting RRI and UNESCO RSSR globally: the RRING network by Mr. Gordon Dalton, RRING and GRRIP project coordinator, PLOCAN  

• 18.35h: Q&A

• 18.50h: Wrap up and cloture by UNESCO

 
  RRING and GRRIP projects have received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 788503 and No 82028

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
The SDG 16 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, this goal includes the reduction of all forms of violence and related death rates, the end of abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children, the promotion of the rule of law, reduction of illicit financial and arms flows, reduction of corruption and the achievement of responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDG 16 in every context.

THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND INNOVATION IN ADDRESSING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN NIGERIA


Science and Innovation have a significant role to play in the attainment and realization of economic, political and social independence in Nigeria and Africa at large. The issues of underdevelopment in Africa had in the past been multi-dimensional in nature and as such requires a multidimensional approach to address. This calls for “aggressive intervention”. Having identified our peculiar problems and limitations, we can’t afford to undermine our own development. It would be a great crime in humanity if we fall off the scale of development. With efforts of various International and Inter-Governmental Institutions globally like the United Nations, The European Union and other agencies and International Development Organizations in participatory development, we have to put into consideration what research, sciences and innovation has in place for us so that we would not be a victim of underdevelopment.

The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic no doubt is a difficult development in the world today and the whole world is ravaged by this negative development. Notwithstanding, we have seen the important role of science, research and innovation plays through surviving the pandemic. This without doubt has exposed the weaknesses in National and Global Structures and in particular the field of sciences in Africa.
The European Union through her Horizon Europe Program is set out to promote science and Innovation for the preservation and transformation of lives and humankind.

The need for the promotion of science and innovation in building the development bridges among nationalities across education and academic institutions cannot be over emphasized as the benefits spans the timely and meaningful attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The calls for scientific approach in closing the gaps and vacuums dealt to the Sciences, Innovation and RD &D Industry in Africa and the need to transform the Continent by changing the narratives; taking into account the role of science and innovation plays in the new approach for fostering economic growth of modern societies and the mobilization of capital and improvement of Foreign Direct Investment. This is instrumental to the attainment of the SDGs cannot be ruled out. This is certainly one of our mandate at Innovea Development Foundation to build development bridges through innovations.

The compartmentalization of innovation and the removal of stereotypes through the depolarization of cross cutting issues like addressing gender imbalance represented in most of the representations is another good way forward. Marginalization is certainly a major challenge in Africa, this had led to underdevelopment in Africa without doubt infrastructural deficits has undermined our evolution and journey to self-actualization. The access to financing of research and academic works in the field of sciences needs thorough governance and looking through the lens of equitable financing and promotion of the efforts of governments in Africa in these topical issues and thematic.

It is about time the ordinary people take ownership of sciences as we humanize research and innovation; creating a space where the little ingenuity in our younger generation and little child in the African villages can be translated into dreams spanning a millennial period. The European Union’s Intervention in Sciences through the Horizon Europe is helping developing nations realize the attainment of global cooperation in research and innovation.

According to Declan Kirrane at a recent Africa-Europe Innovation Partnership event, the success stories in the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) is radically saving lives and is an intervention that is multi-transformational in nature since the outbreak of the Covid-19 Pandemic, The European Commission has taken leadership to support the entire humanity.

Research and Development are imminent in transforming these sectors in their intersections. These areas include but not limited to the understated:

• The Food Systems: The food systems safely in a manner that promotes nature positive and healthy nutrition as alternates the genetically modified seedlings, innovations for reduction of food waste,
• Circular Economy:
• Energy Development at a time when the world is in desperate transition to carbon free energy is another good reason for mitigating the impact of fossil fuels on both economic and social lifestyles of global citizens. The Nigerian Nuclear Energy commissions can be better empowered to conduct research and improve existing pragmatic solutions to reduce the negative footprints of the Nuclear energy on environment and Human Health
• Telecommunications: The improvement in the Telecommunications space for intelligence gathering, aerial security and territorial integrity protection is a formidable tool to combat insecurity in Nigeria and The Sub Saharan Africa Region. Leaving no stone unturned Nigeria has the capacity to provide leadership for the continent. Through efficient utilization and maximization of the capacities of the NigComSat.
• Aviation Technology: The nexus of Blue, Green and Digital Economies allows for improvement in Renewable Energy, Telecommunications and Space research in find lasting solutions to addressing basic challenges in the global aviation space. This definitely can make something happen to human mobility as there are improvements on Aviation fuels through the use of fuel cells and Hydrogen technology to replace existing aviation fuels. According to IRENA 2020, The need for the scaling of hydrogen technologies in mitigating emissions from entirely hard to abate sectors like aviation and manufacturing cannot be over emphasized.
• Bio-sciences, Medicine and Health:
• Particularly, we believe that the Climate Science is a reason for
• According to the recent submissions of Intergovernmental Party on Climate Change IPCC; climate science needs improved environmental research and strong international governance
• Helispherical and Meteorological Sciences
• Anthropology
• Space Sciences and Technology: Satellite technology is essential through governance that avails the need for clearer, precise climate, weather and ecological prediction for a more sustainable and accurate predictions, early warning systems, flood predictions among other ecological advancements which abates the adversities in and limitations in geographical strata. Through data interoperability, space governance and solutions for interplanetary benefits. The United Nations office of outer space can accelerate the major space science and research towards addressing the major challenges in outer space technologies and had lived up to her responsibilities in providing thorough political and governance structure for development globally. The Nigeria Government should look to strengthen and empower the National Space research and Development Agency for optimal capacity.
• Information and Communication Technology and the capital flights, Nigeria must live up to her responsibilities through the policies and social governance.
• Environmental Sciences and biodiversity research, Animal Science, Health Science,
• Research in the areas of climate science can better be improved upon by in-depth review on past literatures in solar and the roles of Centers of Excellence, Academia and Research Institutions in improving on research outcomes can never be over emphasized. This should go beyond politicizing
• Marine Sciences: There is a lot of advancement in the marine spaces with sporadic transformations in the context of oceanography, adaptation and oceanographic manage

The session will address:

• Science capacity building: the role of Research Infrastructures as facilitators of the best science
• European and global cooperation to approach solutions to global challenges
• Scientific basic research in the core of any application and mission: ERICs as repositories of knowledge and hubs of innovation
• Specific services and contributions of ERICs to the UN SDGs

Agenda

• Mr Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit at United Nations General Assembly 76 (SSUNGA76)
• Dr Francisco Colomer Director, the Joint Institute for Very Long Baseline Interferometry European Research Infrastructure Consortium (JIVE) JIVE ERIC, Chair of the ERIC Forum
• Dr Jens Habermann Director BBMRI ERIC - a European research infrastructure for biobanking and biomolecular resources
• Dr Jana Kolar Executive Director CERIC ERIC - a multidisciplinary Research Infrastructure open for basic and applied users in the fields of Materials, Biomaterials and Nanotechnology
• Dr David Stuart Director: Dr Susan Daenke, coordinator INSTRUCT ERIC - a pan-European research infrastructure in structural biology, making high-end technologies and methods available to all European researchers
• Dr Juan Miguel González-Aranda LifeWatch ERIC Chief Technology Officer, ICT Core Director and ERIC Forum Executive Board Member, Spain - a European infrastructure Consortium providing e-Science research facilities to scientists seeking to increase our knowledge and deepen our understanding of Biodiversity organisation and Ecosystem functions and services in order to support civil society in addressing key planetary challenges
• Dr Yousef Torman Arab States Research and Education Network ASREN, Jordan
• Dr Rahel Belete Kilimanjaro Innovation Hub, Ethiopia
• Prof Mammo Muchie Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
• Dr Francisco Colomer Contribution of other ERICs,
• Dr Francisco Colomer and Declan Kirrane Wrap up

"The real Southern Frontier of Europe," as EU Special Representative for the Sahel Emanuela del Re describes the region, is central to the transit of goods and people between the continents. The Sahel is home to some of the world's least developed and youngest nations with 50% of its inhabitants less than 15 years of age.

Often cited as the region with significant concurrent development challenges, countries in the region often experience fragile governance (Mali, Chad and Sudan each have transitional governments) which results in limited delivery of public services from education and healthcare, to peace and security. “The Sahel is a microcosm of cascading global risks converging in one region," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

Climate change adds a new dimension to challenges in the Sahel, sending semi-nomadic livestock herding and farming practices to the brink and forcing communities to overuse the resources of their land. COVID-19 has further exacerbated these vulnerabilities, adding pressure to the economic and health challenges, while pushing an additional six million people into extreme poverty.

Since 2014, the countries of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad have joined forces under the "G5 Sahel" umbrella, and the Sahel Coalition was launched in 2020 to coordinate regional responses to the intersecting security and development challenges, which combine to make the Sahel a unique opportunity to achieve significant progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

This session will explore:

• Poliy responses by individual member states and regional bodies
• Opportunities for increased international support and funding priorities
• Roadmaps toward stronger, more ambitious partnerships with the Sahel
• Priority areas of cooperation, research and development partnerships
• Climate change and its impact on security in the sub-region
• Short and medium-term economic growth and job creation opportunities
• Boosting regional economic integration through innovative financing mechanisms

Mega science projects and grass roots level impact

Through the activities of the South African SKA project over the last decade, the SA Radio Astronomy Observatory has grown an industry development programme, commercialisation, educational pipelines and now a colocation programme across Africa whereby governments, academia and industry can partner in science driven innovative endeavours that are financially and operationally sustainable. This is a case study in science research and high tech projects that generate tangible benefits to the man in the street.

Space infrastructure, both ground-based and space-based, provides a cornerstone to economic development. If one considers sectors such as communications, banking, security, weather services, agricultural monitoring, scientific research or municipal services, it is self-evident that these sectors all rely on seamless information gathering and exchange, via space-based infrastructure. The information provided by space-based infrastructure enables governments to make real-time, informed and strategic decisions towards growth, security and risk mitigation.

The African Colocation Programme is a programme designed to colocate space science and technology infrastructure alongside the radio telescopes of the AVN programme, within the SKA Africa partner countries. The programme is designed to grow expertise, industry, innovation and academia in the partner countries, creating larger African networks for data, fibre, satellite ground stations and science instrumentation.
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The Constitution of India has a special provision "to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of enquiry and reform " as one of the "Fundamental Duties" mentioned under Part IV A, Article 51 A (h), as a major thrust on science and scientific attitude as a policy.

Here are various milestones: A Scientific Policy Resolution was introduced to the Indian Parliament on March 4, 1958, which has been a guiding principle for the development of science and technology in the country. A Technology Policy Statement was brought out in January 1983 to give direction to the technological development by the Government of India. The spirit of innovation and awareness about balance in technological development and the environment was given special importance, The full-fledged Science & Technology Policy 2003 emphasizes multifarious growth in collaboration with science, academia, industry and society. The Science, Technology & Innovation Policy 2013 is a comprehensive policy including innovation to promote PPP model, inclusive growth, support to young scholars and researchers. Science & Technology & Innovation Policy 2020-21 (Draft) is open for public advice and comments, maybe announced soon.

The role of universities through research and strategic partnerships in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In an era where global concerns about sustainability issues are at a peak as shown by the current agenda of the international community, international universities have a crucial role to play. The UN Gs) provide a platform for country-level commitments towards transforming our world and different national governments have been aligning and trying to comply with these. Internationally, however, the success of a sustainability framework has been dependent on cohesion and a strong working relationship between the public and the private sector through in many parts of the world; this remains a challenge. With the private sector contributing overwhelmingly towards national economic output, while at the same time in part responsible for devastating environmental degradation, what is the role of universities navigating and influencing government, private sector and local communities towards achieving the UN SDGs?

As Africa witnesses an increase in private sector investment, technological development and industrialization across a wide range of sectors and with the recent and ongoing pressures from the global pandemic, there is a need for a national policy level consideration of sustainable models that promotes eco-innovation for a green economy and solution-driven research is at the heart of this, addressing the UN SDGs. 

Eco-innovation has the capacity to deliver the tools needed for Green Growth and sustainable development. Those tools will be commercially successful products, services and technologies that reduce the impacts of human activities on the environment, achieve more efficient/responsible uses of natural resources and enhance societal, economic, and technological resilience to environmental pressures. These are key objectives of the UN SDGs. However, it must be clear that eco-innovation cannot be achieved without quantitative and qualitative research, resource mobilization and strategic partnerships. The focus must be given to sustainable solution-oriented research models that bridge the gaps between academia and industry.
For universities to fulfil their role in achieving or supporting the UN SDGs, there must be a high-level management buy-in and strategy to integrate sustainable principles in every aspect of its operations. Whether it be in research, training/teaching and learning of students, engagement with communities, infrastructural development or administration.

Experiences at different sustainable development projects, including the Lancaster University 7 million pound Circular Water Economy RECIRCULATE project and the 700,000 pounds ACTUATE waste to energy demonstration project in West Africa, show that universities are key drivers of effective eco-innovation for two reasons. First, they are ‘anchors’ in co-designing co-developing and co-delivering research-driven eco-innovation partnerships with the private sector, which ultimately deliver “environmental solutions”. Second, they play a key role in delivering the high level (graduate/post-graduate) skills that are essential to driving forward eco-innovative policies, products and services. However, exploiting the power of universities to drive sustainable development will require significant capacity building to bridge the current, very significant gap between academia and industry.

The Schools Satellite Project (SSP) is intended to enable a cohort of high schools worldwide to design, construct, launch and fly a small satellite – also called a Nano-Satellite or Cube Satellite.
The project will allow high school students to have direct experience building and flying a small satellite and using satellites to collect data for analysis. By creating this enabling environment, students will have the opportunity to gain some experience in the design, construction and operation of a satellite. This will include designing the mission objectives, including designing the instrumentation on the satellite which will collect data to fulfil the mission objectives. A key component of the project will be to allow students to design the projects but the broad domain areas will include satellite navigation and earth observation.

In pursuing its objectives, SSP will engage with key enabling stakeholders including universities, industry bodies including satellite manufacturers and space agencies and others involved in the operation of satellites.

The broad timeframe for the project is as follows:
September 2021- June 2022 SSP satellite design
September 2022- June 2023 SSP construction
1 July 2023 SSP mission launch by Spanish EU Council Presidency
June 2023-May 2024 SSP mission


Participation in the project will be open to schools from around the world. The project will be constructed in a way to allow students to participate in different modules at different times, recognising that a long-term commitment by any one student will be difficult. So the project will be designed to fit in with curricula and provide participation modules providing positive inputs to different areas of school curricula, including science, medications technologies, computer skills, data analytics, coding, project management, team working, English language skills, amongst others.


Project Objectives

• Teach high school students about satellites and satellite operations
• Provide a skills base on all aspects of the project including mechanics, electronics and data analysis and artificial intelligence
• Provide input into school curricula in certain key areas
• Provide opportunities apart from directly working on the satellite for students to benefit from the programme, including specially designed lectures, courses and related activities
• Provide occasions for students to meet active scientists and others working in space-related fields, such as agriculture, navigation, transport and communications
• Support students to understand the global space industry and manufacturers providing the elements and components that comprise satellites
• Help students understand the contribution of satellite navigation and earth observation for the entire society
• Show how space-based applications and assets can support the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Provide occasions for students to meet key personalities
• Provide opportunities for students to learn about related science, and technology and innovation careers
• Expose children to information sources and help them to manage research
• Provide an environment where students can learn coding and other practical skills
• Connect students through operational activities from schools around the world
• The project to key international developments including the European Union Council Presidency Spain will host in 2023, the United Nations General Assembly 78 (UNGA78), including the activities of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Union Space Programmes Agency (EUSPA), space agencies from Africa, Latin America and Asia, United States and Canada
• Help children improve their English language skills are the second language and provide opportunities for other language groups to gain exposure to languages where they have an interest
• Provide opportunities for teachers and other mentors to access skills, knowledge and education tools
• Link institutional activities, for example, those of the European Commission, with high school students
• Assist students in understanding key global policies in particular in the area of digital transformation and the green agenda;
• Encourage girls to become interested in space sciences, improve the research gender balance and inclusiveness.

1800   OPEN Mei Lin Fung, Chair, People Centered Internet, cofounded with Vint Cerf
1805 Opening Keynote: Re-Imagining Science (slides) – Kennan Salinero,
1815 Fireside Chat – Riccardo Bassiri Senior Research Scientist, Stanford, John Wharton PCI Fellow, former head of US Army Science and Technology Research
1835 Envisioning Digital Colombia – Diego Molano Vega, former Minister for ICT, Colombia
1845 Measuring Impact and the SDG’s – role for Blockchain – Kartik Kulkarni, past Chair IEEE.org Humanitarian Activities Committee - Article
1855 The UN SDG' and the 17 Rooms  (slides) – Jacob Taylor, Brookings Institute
1905 Internet and Social Justice - Joy Malala
1915 Internet Governance & Youth - Anna Krupnik -Youth IGF
1925 Cool Abilities (slides)  – Cyndi Coon Applied Futures Lab, Arizona State University
1935 Roundtable – What are the underlying issues we all are tackling? .How can we work together?
Jeannette Stewart - Translation Commons will make brief opening remarks and she will be joined by Jeannette Stewart, Kennan Salinero, Riccardo Bassiri, Jacob Taylor, Anna Krupnik, Cyndi Coon
2000 Close


The UN SDG's and how a People-Centered Internet can help them be achieved by 2030

Increasingly the realization is dawning that digital technology is not serving us well, when designed without regard to impact on people and planet. The concept of a People Centered Digital Future can come to the front and center of our collective effort to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Families, neighbourhoods, our homes and our communities are central to our dignity and well being as human beings throughout our lives, from cradle to grave. The UN Digital Cooperation Roadmap calls for us to Connect, Protect and Respect. And yes, it's going to be much harder to achieve the 2030 SDGs if we put on these essential constraints. The question of who is doing the designing can no longer be separated from our understanding of who is going to use the systems, tools and services, and whether digital helps us positively to flourish and thrive or negatively put us at risk and be depressed. "Not about Us Without Us" applies to women, youth, people with disabilities, the vulnerable, the overlooked and we must not forget the people who do not speak English, whose connections are non existent or intermittent due to lack of electricity, or suffer from hunger or thirst, or lack of a place to call home.

Just as Science Labs brought science to the mainstream of society, and science labs in education increased scientific literacy. Community Living Learning Labs can now be used to design digital innovations that are fit for purpose and everyday use in the living rooms, workplaces, agricultural fields, retail floors and factory floors. Community Digital labs in educational institutions will bring digital literacy accessible to all, in a return of the one-room schoolhouse where the advanced learners teach the newcomers. The challenge we face is how can all countries and communities turn on headlights to see the road ahead, instead of driving forward, looking only in the rear view mirror. The volatility, uncertainty of the newly globally connected world means the road ahead is no longer straightforward and increasingly challenging as digitization accelerates in all spheres of life, around the planet.

Draft Agenda
 
(REF LE01) Science and SDG 14 and SDG 15: Life Below Water and Life on Land
Convened by LifeWatch ERIC
13H00-18H35 CEST 1 October 2021
 
 
13h00           Introduction and Welcome
Mr Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit at UN General Assembly 76 (UNGA76), Moderator
Dr Christos Arvanitidis CEO, LifeWatch ERIC

13h20            Keynote I
Ms Jyoti Mathur-Filipp Director of the Implementation and Support Division at the UN Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Canada

13h35            Life on Land
Dr Ciara Leonard University College Dublin, Public Affairs Manager, UCD Research and Innovation; Moderator, Ireland
Dr Alberto Basset Interim Director of Service Center, LifeWatch ERIC, Lecce, Italy
Mr Michel Massart DEFIS, European Commission, Belgium
Dr Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, LifeWatch Spain
 
14h15            Keynote II
Dr Peter Heffernan Oceans Ambassador; Member, EU Mission Board: ‘Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal & Inland Waters’ Ireland
 
 
14h30            Life under Water
Dr Ciara Leonard University College Dublin, Public Affairs Manager, UCD research and innovation; Moderator, 
Dr Christos Arvanitidis CEO LifeWatch ERIC
Prof. Mike Elliot University of Hull, UK

15h00            The EU International cooperation perspective: 
Dr Ciara Leonard University College Dublin, Public Affairs Manager, UCD research and innovation; Moderator, 
Dr Stephanie Splett Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Germany
EU-LAC:
Dr Eric Ruuth Scientific Coordinator, IMIBIO, Argentina
Inmaculada Figueroa EU-LAC ResInfra: Towards a new EU-LAC partnership in Research Infrastructures. LifEuLAC pilot.
EU-AFRICA:
Prof. Antonio Micha Director-General of the National Institute for Environmental Conservation INCOMA, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea and Prof. Javier Castroviejo-Bolívar Amigos de Doñana, Spain

15h50            Facing new challenges on e-Biodiversity together. 
Mr Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit at UN General Assembly 76 (UNGA76), Moderator
Mr Shirish Ravan Head, Beijing Office, The United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) Programme of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Vienna, Austria
Dr Juan Miguel González-Aranda LifeWatch ERIC Chief Technology Officer, ICT Core Director and ERIC Forum Executive Board Member, Spain
 

16h10            Trans-disciplinary approach: Agrifood & AgroEcology
Mr Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit at UN General Assembly 76 (UNGA76), Moderator
Mr Stephen Peedell Knowledge for Sustainable Development and Food Security, Joint Research Centre European Commission, Belgium
LifeWatch ERIC approach by Prof. Vladislav Popov Agriculture University of Plovdiv, LifeWatch ERIC Bulgaria and Dr José Manuel Ávila-Castuera LifeWatch ERIC AgroEcology Officer
Mr Patrick Worms, the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry CIFOR-ICRAF

16h50            Capacity building
Mr Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit at UN General Assembly 76 (UNGA76), Moderator
Ms Africa Zanella, Director Centre for Sustainability and Gender Economics (CSGE),          Australia-Spain
Prof Ian Jones InnoPharma, Ireland
Dr Milind Pimprika Founder and Chairman CANEUS International, Centre for Large Space Structures and Systems, Canada

17h20           Input and recommends for UNGA77 Sept 2022
Mr Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit at UN General Assembly 76 (UNGA76), Moderator
Dr Murray Hitzman iCRAG, Ireland
Ms Karina Angelieva Adviser to the Minister of Science, Bulgaria
Dr Christos Arvanitidis CEO, LifeWatch ERIC, Spain

17h50           Session Key Conclusions
Mr Declan Kirrane Chair, Science Summit at UN General Assembly 76 (UNGA76)
Dr Akhilesh Gupta Senior Adviser, Policy Coordination and Programme Management Division Dept of Science and Technology, India
Dr Lino Barañao former Minister of Science, Argentina
Prof Kurt Zatloukal Director of the Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University Graz 

18h20           Concluding remarks
Dr Juan Miguel González-Aranda LifeWatch ERIC Chief Technology Officer, ICT Core Director and ERIC Forum Executive Board Member, Spain
Mr Declan Kirrane Moderator

18h35            End of the sessions


SDG 15 Life on Land
SDG 15 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.

Among others, this goal includes ensuring the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, combating desertification, conservation of mountain ecosystems, and the integration of ecosystem and biodiversity values into

SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
The SDG 10 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – to reduce inequality within and among countries by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, this goal includes the empowerment and promotion of the social, economic and political inclusion of all, ensuring equal opportunity and reducing inequalities of outcome, adoption of policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, the improvement of the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets, and ensuring the enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDG 10 in every context.

Promoting Transition to Employment and Independence among Individuals with Disabilities: Perspectives from Africa, America, Asia, and Europe 
 
 
One billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience forms of disabilities. Among those, one-fifth of the estimated global total, or between 110 million and 190 million people, experience significant disabilities. Disability prevalence is even higher for developing countries and those with disabilities are more likely to experience adverse socio-economic outcomes such as less education, poorer health and employment outcomes, and higher poverty rates. 
 
The European Commission’s European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 had identified social exclusion as one of the grand challenges that people with disabilities in Europe are facing. People with disabilities are the most disadvantaged in society exacerbating many inequity issues. For instance, people with disabilities may have limited access to basic education, which can largely reduce their chances to obtain meaningful and gainful employment as adults. Globally, the employment rates of people with disabilities is significantly lower than their peers without disabilities. In addition to the socio-economic implications, social exclusion impacts negatively on self-esteem, mental health and quality of life. Thus, social Inclusion is an important element of well-being for people with disabilities and a key component of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Research has highlighted that social inclusion can be promoted through access to education and employment. 
 
Research has also demonstrated that assistive technology (AT) can be a meaningful way to improve access to education, employment and independence among people with disabilities. While AT can be useful in improving the life of people with disabilities, the World Health Organization have identified that only 10% of the population in need of AT products have access to them. While AT provision varies across countries, the intent to support people with disabilities should be a global priority with a focus on removing barriers and providing facilitators to independent living, community participation, and transition from education to employment settings.  
 
We will highlight the critical role of partnerships between Africa, America, Asia, and Europe 
in increasing inclusion, promoting transition from education settings to employment and independence, and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. Using international projects, we will describe the challenges faced by inclusive education programs for transition-age youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We will also share initiatives and innovative strategies that are in place in building capacity and developing guidelines and programming for improving the situations. Finally, we will discuss the importance of promoting interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations between all stakeholders and placing the person with disability at the centre of the program and resources development, deployment and dissemination. 
 
Panel Discussion Questions 
 
1. What is the current situation and challenges faced regarding transition to employment and independence among people with disabilities in your country? 
2. What existing initiatives and innovative strategies have been put in place to improve the transition to employment among people with disabilities in your country? 
3. What role do you see assistive technology can play in promoting the transition to employment among people with disabilities in your country? 
4. What are your recommendations for guidelines program development to improve the transition to employment among people with disabilities in your country? What should be the future directions for research and practice?

(REF DF28)Roundtable discussion on how Development Finance can support the SDGs, with particular focus on Hi-Tech Skills including leveraging funding instruments at a global level.,

15h00 Declan Kirrane, Welcome Remarks
Dr Rita Lawlor Biobank Director, ARC-Net and University of Verona, Moderator
15h05 Ms Eva Kaili MEP, European Parliament, Keynote Remarks
15h15 Prof Ian Jones, Innopharma Education
15h25 Prof Kurt Zatloukal Medical University Graz
15h35 Discussants:
          Mr Barry Palte CEO, EQ Capital Partners
          Dr Fuad Mrad Director, United Nations Economic and Social Commission
          Dr Alex Cahana Partner, BTBlock, Advisor, IMF Advisor
          Ms Nicole Patrice Tesla Skills Fund for Africa
          Ms Selam Ayele Kebede Antler
          Mr Oliver Blantern Impact Rooms 
          Prof Mammo Muchie Chair Rated Research Professor in Innovation Studies, the Tshwane University               of Technology
          Dr Samuel Adunreke Innovea Hubs Board Chair, Innovea Development Foundation
16h05 Minerva Novero Policy Specialist, Digital Transformation, Skills, Governance, Smart Cities United Nations Development Programme (invited)
16h20 Recommendations
16h30 Conclusion

This Session will explore the link between development financing and a global approach for a skills agenda, using the European union approach as a basis.
The commitment to addressing the Covid pandemic by development banks and many multilateral fora is extensive. It can be informed by a more comprehensive engagement with the science and medical research community. Digital tools for steering financing and directing funding to better effect and accelerating results towards achieving the UN SDG’s can significantly enhance policy development and operational oversight. Skills are and will be central to achieving this global agenda.
The Session will examine how:
Linking development finance to science and research can improve both;
To maintain policies, legal frameworks, regulations and programmes which promote multi-disciplinary cross-sector research collaboration for achieving the UN SDG’s – among scientists, research institutions and innovative businesses;
Support global coordination and delivering a global skills agenda
Development finance using digital finance tracking innovations can improve science programmes funded by nations, science funding bodies and others;
Improving development finance funding mechanisms are defined for international comparison and learning can increase synergy and generate re-usable scientific knowledge from the global initiatives for science;
Development finance can support capacity building for scientific research addressing COVID 19 and other diseases in areas including clinical trials, biobanking, other medical sciences, agri-food, and environment, amongst others;
Supporting blockchain, AI, and federated learning can enable data analytics and evidence-based response to pandemics and pandemic preparedness and the required skills;
Input on science and innovation for policymakers at regional, national and multistakeholder levels can increase global scientific impact in achieving the UN SDGs;