ICSU-UNESCO Regional Science and Technology Workshops

Science and Technology for Rio+20

ICSU-UNESCO Rio+20
Regional Science
and Technology
Workshops

Asia and the Pacific
Africa
Latin America and the Caribbean
Arab States
Europe and North America

www.icsu.org/rio20/regional-workshops

Background Dates and locations of the ICSU-UNESCO
regional science and technology workshops

Region Date Location
Asia Pacific 16 – 18 April 2011 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Africa 30 May – 1 June 2011 Pretoria, South Africa
LAC 3 – 5 August 2011 Mexico City, Mexico
Arab States 12 – 14 October 2011 Cairo, Egypt
Europe 12 – 14 October 2011 Helsinki, Finland

The concept of sustainable development brings together economic, social and environmental challenges,
developed and developing countries, governments, businesses and civil society, scientific knowledge and
public policy, and present and future generations. It has created the awareness that the environment and
social and economic development are facets of the same agenda.
The United Nations Rio+20 Conference will take place 20–22 June 2012, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Coming 20 years after the original Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and 10 years after the 2002 World
Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, Rio+20 (also known more formally as the United
Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012) will bring together high-level policy-makers from
across the world. The aim is to secure renewed political commitment to sustainable development, to assess
the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the sustainable development agenda,
and to address new and emerging challenges.

The ICSU-UNESCO Regional Workshops
ICSU and UNESCO recognised the need to enhance the input from the science, technology and innovation
(STI) community into the Rio+20 process, and to account for region-specific priorities and concerns. ICSU
and UNESCO therefore organised five regional science and technology workshops in 2011 (for Asia and the
Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Africa, the Arab States, and Europe and North America).

Participants at the Regional Workshops
Each workshop had between 40–80 participants, primarily coming from countries in the region. Participants
were made up of:
ƒƒ Natural scientists, social scientists and engineers, including young scientists and engineers;
ƒƒ High-level policy-makers/ government representatives;
ƒƒ Representatives of civil society (‘Major Groups’ in UN terminology), including business and industry,
farmers and indigenous peoples;
ƒƒ Co-sponsors.

Results and Recommendations
The workshops were designed to provide input for the five Rio+20 intergovernmental Regional Preparatory
Meetings (RPMs) being held in the run up to the Rio+20 Conference by the five regional UN Economic
and Social Commissions (ECA, ESCWA, ESCAP, ECE, ECLAC) in their respective regions. The results and
recommendations of the workshops have now been presented by our delegations at these meetings, and
have informed ICSU and UNESCO’s inputs for the Rio+20 Conference.

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Aims of the Regional Workshops
ƒƒ To give natural scientists, social scientist and engineers from the different regions the opportunity
to prepare joint positions and concerted input for the Rio+20 RPMs, in collaboration with policy-makers
and other key actors.
ƒƒ To provide a platform for a science-policy dialogue at the regional level.
ƒƒ To provide a platform for a multi-stakeholder dialogue with other ‘Major Groups’ (civil society
stakeholders), including business and industry.

Overall Objectives of the Regional Workshops
ƒƒ To ensure that the best available natural and social science is integrated into policy recommendations
resulting from the RPMs and Rio+20.
ƒƒ To incorporate specific regional concerns and priorities into the global agenda of Rio+20.
ƒƒ To identify where support is needed by the STI community, at national and regional levels.
ƒƒ To highlight the major contributions from STI to sustainable development.
ƒƒ To identify the roles of civil society and the private sector in STI activities at regional, national and local
scales, and their needs from the STI community.

Duration and Agendas
Each regional workshop lasted three days, with keynote presentations, plenary discussions and break-out
group sessions.
The workshops addressed the main themes of Rio+20:
ƒƒ Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication;
ƒƒ the institutional framework for sustainable development.

The workshops also assessed new and emerging challenges and priority issues.

Organisers
The regional workshops were jointly organised by ICSU’s and UNESCO’s regional offices, except the Europe
and North America workshop which was organised by the European Group of ICSU National Members. All
workshops were held in cooperation with the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), the
International Social Science Council (ISSC) and regional stakeholders.

Additional Information
For additional information on the regional workshops, including:
ƒƒ reports and recommendations
ƒƒ agendas
ƒƒ participants lists

see: www.icsu.org/rio20/regional-workshops
Contact:
ƒƒ Gisbert Glaser (ICSU Senior Advisor): gisbert.glaser@icsu.org
ƒƒ Alice Abreu (ICSU’s Rio+20 Regional Coordinator): alice.abreu@icsu.org
ƒƒ Peter Bates (ICSU Science Officer): peter.bates@icsu.org

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Overarching
Recommendations
and Key Issues

The participants at the five regional workshops asserted the importance of such regional meetings for the
STI community, their commitment to STI for sustainable development, and their aspirations for Rio+20.
The following overarching recommendations and key issues were highlighted during the discussions in all
of the regions:

ƒƒ The Rio+20 outcome must be commensurate with the urgent need to move humanity to a sustainable
path of development.

ƒƒ Human induced global environmental change is occurring at an increasing rate and intensity across all
regions. Fundamental changes in the human drivers affecting the Earth system and actions to enhance the
resilience and decrease the vulnerability of human communities are essential.

ƒƒ Current economic patterns are responsible for many of the interlinked and growing social, environmental
and economic crises unfolding across all regions. Economic sustainability, human development, poverty
eradication and environmental sustainability must be addressed in an integrated fashion.

ƒƒ The last 20 years have seen at best incremental movements towards sustainable development. Renewed
global political commitment to sustainable development is vital.

ƒƒ Concrete and challenging targets should be set that can be translated into international and national law.

ƒƒ The natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, engineering and technology communities have a
fundamental role to play in developing systems of knowledge, defining targets, implementing solutions
and monitoring progress for sustainable development.

ƒƒ Commitments are needed to large-scale investments in targeted transdisciplinary research that addresses
the integrated environmental, social and economic pillars of sustainable development. Social and
technological innovations for sustainability should be the goal.

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iStockphoto © Nikada
ƒƒ Strengthening science-policy links at national, regional and global levels is essential in efforts to improve
the institutional framework for sustainable development. Science advisory mechanisms should be built
into all levels of decision making, at national, regional and global scales.

ƒƒ Targeted capacity building is needed within the scientific community, with a focus on developing
countries and gender equality issues.

ƒƒ The scientific and technological community must improve cooperation with other parts of civil society,
the private sector, governments and intergovernmental bodies. Research agendas should be defined
through broad-based, participatory approaches involving those in need of scientific information.

ƒƒ It is important to work closely with local communities and indigenous peoples when planning research
activities, development interventions or education programmes, to account for their specific cultures and
knowledge.

ƒƒ Formal, informal and non-formal education should be recognised as key mechanisms in addressing
sustainable development issues for the medium and long term, and they should have a strong
science-base.

ƒƒ Rio+20 is a forum at which governments should recognise, enhance and map out the crucial
relationship between policy-making and science, technology and innovation.

ƒƒ Rio+20 should be a fundamental milestone in the development of a new contract between science and
society.

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Asia and the Pacific 16 – 18 April 2011, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

www.icsu.org/rio20/regional-workshops/asia-pacific

Organised by ICSU’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific,
and the UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the
Pacific in Jakarta.

Alongside the Overarching Recommendations, the following recommendations are among those highlighted
by the scientific and technological community from the Asia and the Pacific region during the three-day
workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:

Sustainable development and Green Economy
The Asia and the Pacific region, with more than More public funding support for Green Economy
half of the world's population and two thirds of research and development (R&D) is vital, but it
the world's poor, has a major stake in sustainable needs to be applied strategically.
development and poverty alleviation. Its rapid
growth in economic output and its rapidly growing Members of the scientific community need to have
share of global scientific research put it in a good freedom in the conduct of science, need to carry
position to achieve these goals. out and disseminate their research responsibly,
and need to be accountable for their work. This is
The people of the region, and indeed all people on especially important in respect to science relating to
the Earth, face two major challenges: sustainable development. Responsible and ethical
conduct of research is an important requirement of
1. The continued use of the Earth and its ecosystem scientists in their contract with society.
as if it were an infinite source of resources and a
boundless sink for our waste. The lack of public and political awareness of
dealing with risk and uncertainty is one of the
2. Resources are used in such a way that many features behind a lack of trust of science. Outreach
people of the Earth, and especially in Asia and and educational campaigns must address risk and
the Pacific, continue to live in extreme poverty. uncertainty and improve community understanding
The connection between the Green Economy and of them.
poverty alleviation is not automatic. It must be Public communication, raising awareness and
consciously articulated and implemented. the education of all stakeholders about the Green
Action to move to sustainable development will Economy and new and emerging challenges are
require changes in social values and practices, as an important responsibility of the scientific and
well as technical solutions. technological community.

The construction of an appropriate sustainable Industry must work in partnership with the natural
development index that will become the true sciences, social sciences and the technological
measure of development is a matter of high priority. community to make progress in the transition to
This index should take into account environmental, sustainable development.
social and economic indicators. Women are key actors for delivering the concept
Scientific data and information are central to and products of Green Economy and green
understanding environmental change and for technology into the family and society. A greater
monitoring societal progress towards sustainable participation of women in the scientific and
development. Natural science, social science and technological workforce should be encouraged. The
technology therefore have a vital role to play in views of women on population growth need to be
the success of the Rio+20 process. Achieving this heard and supported.
requires financial and political support.

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© Peter Bates
Institutional framework for sustainable development
An improved position of science and technology in the international sphere. Institutions established
in the hierarchy of international institutions and to encourage and oversee the move to sustainable
national governments is a necessary first step development need to cooperate and not compete.
in giving science and technology a stronger
focus in international discussions, dialogues and The collection and sharing of data, information and
negotiations. knowledge is a major need of the STI community,
and of governments at all levels. The many
There is a great need to improve inter-ministerial international institutions involved with sustainable
linkages and collaboration in the national development need to coordinate their data systems
government, and between equivalent organisations and make them compatible.

New and emerging challenges for Asia and the Pacific
Climate change, ecosystem change and sound technologies such as integrated water
over-utilisation of resources and waste management, by assisting in urban
ƒƒ Previously recognised challenges, including planning to reduce energy consumption, and
climate change, ecosystem change and over studying and influencing social practices.
utilisation of resources, have a heightened
urgency because they have not been addressed. Sustainable energy
ƒƒ Sustainable energy is key to sustainable
Urbanisation development, and a sustainable and adequate
ƒƒ Urbanisation is a particularly relevant challenge energy supply is a major priority for the Asia and
in the Asia and the Pacific region, as here the the Pacific region. Achieving this will require
urban population is growing at more than twice innovations in science and technology and
the rate of the total population. In many cases changes in social practices. Natural science,
urbanisation is leading to health problems and social science, humanities, engineering and
decreasing wellbeing. technology all therefore have a vital role to play
in the delivery of sustainable energy.
ƒƒ The STI community can help reduce urban
ecological footprints by introducing ecologically

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Africa 30 May – 1 June 2011, Pretoria, South Africa

www.icsu.org/rio20/regional-workshops/africa

Organised by ICSU’s Regional Office for Africa and the
UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Technology in Africa
in Nairobi

The African scientific and technological community met over 3 days in Pretoria, South Africa. Alongside the
Overarching Recommendations, other recommendations and priority issues from their discussions include:

The design and provision of market incentives Financial support/lending institutions should be
and financing will be important for promoting strengthened to support local entrepreneurship and
entrepreneurship and green projects, to levels that economy-of-scale projects in key economic sectors
are needed to accelerate transition from ‘brown’ to in Africa such as agriculture, energy, transportation
‘green’ economy. and municipal services.
The STI base should be improved at appropriate Initiatives must have regional context and relevance
levels (artisans, mid-level and advanced levels) to to succeed, and should be designed to account for
support novel industrial operations that the targeted indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) of the African
Green Economy requires in African countries. continent.
Infrastructure to support STI and humanities Specific systems should be implemented to ensure
research, such as research parks, technology that vulnerable groups such as women, youth
incubation centres, library systems, data storage and the disabled are protected through their
and transfer centres, internet systems and laboratory socio-economic empowerment in Africa.
support systems, need to be established in greater
numbers in Africa.

Considering that well-designed programmes can fail STI intellectual resources and facilities that are
if not properly coordinated and monitored, efficient available within the African Continent should be
mechanisms should be established to ensure good identified, through the development and integration
governance and accountability in both the public of databases and directories of African researchers
and private sectors. and research-related organisations.
Africa has been the object of numerous STI should be included as the primary engine
development policies and action plans at all of Green Economy development through the
levels. These need to be analysed and harmonised, development and integration of National Science
including: regulations/conventions, policies, market and Technology Policies (with adequate funding),
incentives, educational and research support and creation of science advisory boards to provide
systems, performance monitoring systems, and input into developments in every socio-economic
enforcement systems. sector.

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© Shutterstock
Priority issues and emerging challenges for Africa:
Food security Health security
ƒƒ Land redistribution, transfer and acquisition have ƒƒ Africa bears the bulk of the global disease burden
to be addressed if Africa is to benefit from the with the double tragedy imposed by emerging
green (agricultural) revolution. (e.g. hemorrhagic fevers) and re-emerging (e.g.
ƒƒ Indigenous seed and crop varieties that are TB, malaria) diseases. STI should be deployed to
best-suited to African conditions need to be find solutions to these health challenges.
identified, and their production increased to meet
food security needs. Natural and human-induced hazards and disasters
ƒƒ Africa is prone to a wide variety of escalating
Biodiversity and ecosystem loss natural and human-induced disasters such as
ƒƒ Deforestation, including clearing of forests for droughts, flooding, tropical cyclones, pests and
other competing needs, is a key issue. diseases. It is therefore important that Africa
adopt cost-effective policies to lower associated
Climate change and security risks and allocate appropriate resources to
ƒƒ Africa should prepare itself for adaptation to, hazards and disaster mitigation and preparedness.
and mitigation of, the impacts of climate change,
Desertification
especially sea level rise along the coast of Africa,
which could generate massive human migrations. ƒƒ The advance of the Sahara southwards and spread
of aridity in most parts of Africa calls for STI and
Water scarcity and use IKS interventions to address desertification.
ƒƒ Africa should explore possibilities for alternative
Human migration
water resources such as groundwater,
and application of STI in water harvesting ƒƒ Due to slow economic growth and development
methodologies in the face of climate change and in rural areas, there has been increased migration
increase in its population. from rural to urban or coastal regions, thus
over-stretching basic infrastructure in those areas,
Energy crisis and increasing poverty and pollution.
ƒƒ Africa’s clean and renewable energy resources are
enormous but there is a need for enhanced STI to
The Africa regional workshop report is available in
effectively tap this resource.
English, Portuguese and French

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Latin America 3 – 5 August 2011, Mexico City, Mexico

www.icsu.org/rio20/regional-workshops/

and the Caribbean latin-america-and-the-caribbean

Organised by ICSU’s Regional Office for Latin America and the
Caribbean, and the UNESCO Regional Office of Science and
Technology for Latin America and the Caribbean in Montevideo

Representatives of the scientific and technological community from the Latin America and the Caribbean
(LAC) region met in Mexico City, Mexico. Alongside the Overarching Recommendations, specific
recommendations emerging from their discussions included:

New or existing institutions, research and cultural, social, political and economic change;
training programmes, and funding mechanisms personal, institutional-governmental, systemic
should be created or modified to support multi and structural change; and impacts on vulnerable
and trans-disciplinary research in all fields of communities.
the natural, engineering and social sciences and
humanities, recognising the full range of issues that Sustainable development indicators should be
need to be addressed for sustainable development developed, including social, technical, engineering,
and poverty eradication. exact science and natural science dimensions.

Policy and research on Green Economy should Investment is needed in higher education and
account for the full implications of a transformation especially in graduate studies to enhance research
to a Green Economy at all scales, including: and development (R&D) capacities in LAC.

Specific mechanisms for providing STI advice analysing successful and unsuccessful practices in
should be developed in countries region-wide. the LAC region.
These should be integral to government
departments, parliaments and their corresponding Multistakeholder consultation and decision-making
commissions, and the justice system. fora could be established at the local, national
and regional level for the definition of ‘relevant’
More policy and advocacy-oriented research research programmes for sustainable development.
should be encouraged, with greater leadership from This would include participation of groups from the
the scientific community in the implementation of scientific community, social movements, other civil
solutions, and in communicating, advocating and society organisations and the government (including
awareness-raising. science advisors).
Research on the science-policy interface A global fund for STI for sustainable development
should be increased, analysing the different could be established, with each nation contributing
cultures of decision-makers, media and science the equivalent of at least 1% of its national defence
communication, among other issues related to spending.
social studies of science and technology, and

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iStockphoto © Luoman
Priority issues and emerging challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean
Biodiversity loss ƒƒ Building resilience to these natural risks (in the
ƒƒ LAC offers rich terrestrial, marine, coastal and framework of climate change) and related human
fresh water ecosystem functions and services, displacements is essential.
including highly diverse agro-ecosystems that
contribute to global food security and abundant Urbanisation
sources of fresh water. ƒƒ Rates of urbanisation in LAC are some of the
ƒƒ Reversing the rate of terrestrial, fresh water and highest in the world, constituting a major
marine biodiversity loss is crucial. environmental and social challenge.
ƒƒ Indigenous peoples should be recognised as key ƒƒ A systemic approach to urbanisation should
partners in biodiversity conservation, as they live be developed, such as land use and territorial
in and protect many of the remaining biologically planning, including urban and peri-urban
rich lands in LAC. planning, based on continuous dialogue among
all the stakeholders of society. This involves
Managing hazardous wastes organising interdisciplinary teams for the
development of social and biophysical indicators
ƒƒ Managing hazardous wastes in all habitats (e.g.
(of materials and energy fluxes).
urban, industrial and agriculture areas located
in temperate, subtropical and tropical areas) is
Poverty eradication and cultural diversity
essential, through the development of complete
eco-toxicological approaches. ƒƒ The eradication of poverty is a major goal for the
LAC region, especially for the poorest countries.
Climate change ƒƒ The LAC region has high levels of cultural
ƒƒ Climate change mitigation and adaptation diversity, including large urban centres,
capacities should be developed, recognising indigenous communities, women farmers and
that richer nations have greater responsibility in diverse language groups – giving a challenge
mitigation while developing nations will require and an opportunity to develop an intercultural
greater efforts in adaptation. approach towards a more inclusive society.

Natural disasters Other challenges
ƒƒ Due to its geological and meteorological ƒƒ Developing clean energy sources and sustainable
characteristics and high rates of urbanisation agriculture.
the LAC region is susceptible to human life loss,
population displacement and infrastructure
damage due to natural disasters, such as
earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, volcanoes,
hurricanes, storm surges and floods.

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Arab States 12 – 14 October 2011, Cairo, Egypt

www.icsu.org/rio20/regional-workshops/arab-states

Organised by the UNESCO Office in Cairo and ICSU

Representatives of the STI community from the Arab States region met in Cairo, Egypt. Over 3 days of
discussions, they developed recommendations for Rio+20. Alongside the Overarching Recommendations,
specific recommendations included:

The STI community within the Arab States strongly ƒƒ Inclusion of indigenous, accumulated and
recommends a paradigm shift to coordinate implicit community knowledge and practices,
and enhance the region’s efforts towards a through dialogue and research with local
knowledge-based economy and sustainable communities.
development. In order to carry out a comprehensive research
agenda, capacity building is needed by the
A coherent and long-term research agenda needs
scientific community and different stakeholders,
to be developed for sustainable development in
with a focus on women and vulnerable groups.
the Arab States, containing a portfolio of projects.
Decision-makers should support this and make full More integration and communication between
use of the results. research efforts is needed in the region, to connect
individual projects and generate an accumulation of
Elements of this research agenda include:
experience.
ƒƒ Holistic, trans-disciplinary scientific approaches,
In addition to North-South knowledge and
which address the interconnections between
technology transfer, there is a need for enhanced
environmental, social and economic issues.
technology and knowledge transfer between Arab
ƒƒ Solution-orientated scientific programmes that States.
expressly serve community needs.
ƒƒ Strategies to incentivise scientists to serve the Solutions and technologies from outside of the
public through applied, practical, market-based, region need to be adapted to the environment and
pro-poor and relevant research. cultures of the Arab States. This process can be an
opportunity for capacity building in the region’s
ƒƒ Participatory processes through which
scientific and technological communities, and for
science agendas and projects are developed,
local end-users.
implemented and communicated including all
stakeholders in any particular society or region.

A more inclusive participatory approach There is need for an emphasis on citizenship rights
to governance is mandatory for an effective to being scientifically informed, so that the public
implementation of sustainable development can make informed decisions and participate in
policies in the Arab States, by formally integrating discussions on issues pertaining to new sciences
civil society into decision-making, and using new and technologies.
communication technologies to generate dialogue,
inclusion and democracy. Working more effectively with education
ministries to integrate the concept of sustainable
The benefits of sustainable development and development into curricula in schools and
science at all scales need to be better recognised universities, and attention to informal education
by the public and governments, and communicated programmes, will be crucial.
more effectively by the STI community.

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iStockphoto © Tobias Helbig
Priority issues and emerging challenges for the Arab States
Water security ƒƒ International energy management standards
ƒƒ Water scarcity, quality and management are key should be adapted for the region, management
issues. strategies developed for energy efficiency and
feed-in tariffs introduced to incentivise investment
ƒƒ Innovative water management solutions should be
in renewable energy.
generated and disseminated to address resource
efficiency and conservation.
Natural disasters, climate change and conflicts
ƒƒ Community-based water management agreements over resources
should be initiated to share quotas for water,
ƒƒ STI-based climate change and disaster adaptation
including trans-boundary agreements, and
and mitigation strategies should be integrated
community-based monitoring should be
into countries’ economic, social and governance
implemented.
systems and firmly embedded into domestic
ƒƒ Water management policies should be improved, policy planning across the board.
especially in the area of agriculture. Better and
more efficient use should be made of irrigation, Biodiversity
efficient drip irrigation should replace flood, and ƒƒ Efforts towards the valuation of ecosystem
drainage water should be reused. services should be developed, enhanced and
ƒƒ Regulation and enforcement of pollution supported. Sustainable markets for natural
prevention should be improved. resources (e.g. biodiversity and ecotourism)
should be further enhanced.
Food security, nutrition and safety
ƒƒ The management of protected areas should be
ƒƒ Crop varieties that need less pesticides, less improved.
fertiliser and less water, and can adapt to climate
ƒƒ Education and awareness-raising programmes
change, should be developed or better utilised.
should be implemented for linking biodiversity to
ƒƒ Efficient and incentive-based sustainable society.
agriculture should be promoted.
ƒƒ Recognising and working with community-based
ƒƒ Capacity building, education, training and traditional knowledge of biodiversity is essential
extension services should be provided for for more effective and inclusive conservation
farmers. management.
ƒƒ Agro-food losses and waste need to be reduced
throughout the Arab States, through improved Balanced rural-urban planning
post-harvest techniques, reuse of ‘waste’ ƒƒ There should be a focus on urban planning and
products, and better storage and transport. There sustainable land use.
is a need to engage with agro-industry on this ƒƒ Green building codes should be adapted to the
subject. region (e.g. lighting, cooling).
Energy security and improved access ƒƒ Inclusive, small scale infrastructure solutions and
services should be developed in rural areas to
ƒƒ Investment and R&D should be increased in
reduce rural-urban migration.
renewable and alternative sources of energy,
noting the great potential of solar, wind and wave
energy in the Arab States.

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Europe and 12 – 14 October 2011, Helsinki, Finland

www.icsu.org/rio20/regional-workshops/europe

North America Organised by the Group of the European Members of ICSU, in
cooperation with ICSU and UNESCO

Alongside the Overarching Recommendations, the following recommendations are among those highlighted
by the STI community representatives from Europe and North America, during their workshop in Helsinki,
Finland:

iStockphoto © Mustafa Deliormanli
The principle of common and differentiated global consequences of consumption patterns visible and
responsibility of regions and countries should be sustainability part of our shared culture.
applied in the search for fair and effective solutions
to global challenges. A Green Economy needs effective monitoring
systems, including the monitoring of societal
The ‘Green Economy’ concept should provide change and the integration of social development
a useful starting point for helping to achieve objectives into the Green Economy agenda.
sustainable development, in particular through
decarbonising consumption, reducing the other Goals, targets and indicators agreed at Rio+20
environmental impacts of consumption, and should sensitively account for the needs of
reducing consumption inequalities. indigenous people, and the special conditions
characterising sensitive and vulnerable areas,
Sustainable market structures, supported by such as the Arctic and the Mediterranean.
appropriate institutions and regulations, need to Specific studies should be devoted to the analysis
be created to better reflect the status and value of conditions of local communities and their
of natural capital and ensure correct signals to adaptation to global change.
socio-economic systems including information on
scarcity, critical tipping points and tradeoffs. Universal access to education is a necessary
precondition for achieving sustainable
Processes initiating social self-evolution and development.
transformation should be encouraged by making the

14

All international institutions should have a scientific rational debate on emerging scientific questions
advisory body tasked with providing advice on and on new or emerging technologies such as
sustainable development matters; all national nanotechnology, carbon capture and storage, and
governments should include scientists and science geo-engineering.
advisors in their delegations to international
meetings relevant to sustainable development; and A research-based analysis of ways to strengthen
scientists and science advisors should be included the role of global organisations for sustainable
in the early phases of the development of policies development and the role of sustainable
for sustainable development, so that they are based development in existing global organisations such
on the best, up-to-date scientific evidence. as the WTO, World Bank and IMF should be carried
out.
Institutions and mechanisms that ensure
comprehensive and independent assessments and The Aarhus Convention of the United Nations
evaluations of policies, based on the best available Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE)
scientific knowledge, must be deployed. These on access to information, public participation
should be available at all levels of governance, in decision-making and access to justice in
from the global to the local. The focus should be on environmental matters could be used as a model
participatory evaluations and assessments. for the development of a global convention or
regional conventions.
Participatory sustainability assessments should
be carried out in order to contribute to timely and

Priority issues and emerging challenges for Europe and North America
Consumption and population ƒƒ More effort must be devoted to increasing
ƒƒ The most important emerging challenges for resilience, with infrastructures, systems
sustainable development are related to the and technologies adapted to natural and
unsustainable consumption of natural capital anthropogenic hazards and climate change.
and the economic, social and environmental
consequences of population growth and Food policy
demographic change. ƒƒ Food policy needs to be better addressed within
the research community using transdisciplinary
Interconnected issues approaches. These issues will not be solved
ƒƒ Problems of waste, food, water and energy merely by technical solutions or by markets,
security, climate change and ocean acidification, but require innovative research and stakeholder
greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, dialogues.
ecosystem degradation and loss of ecosystem ƒƒ In particular the links between food security,
services are symptoms of population issues and climate change, energy production, conservation
unsustainable consumption. of biodiversity and water security have to be
ƒƒ These interconnected challenges must be tackled addressed in order to identify threats, trade-offs
at the international, regional, national and local and solutions. Ethical aspects should also be
scale if progress in sustainable development is to explicitly recognised.
be achieved.
Urbanisation
ƒƒ Research, technology and engineering focusing
on recycling, efficient use of energy and natural ƒƒ In the context of urbanisation and cities, planning
resources, limits on agricultural land and the for sustainable development has to be developed,
consequences of resource degradation should be recognising issues of population and lifestyle. The
increased. potential for lower carbon footprints, sustainable
transportation and improved human wellbeing
Natural hazards should be actively exploited.
ƒƒ Vulnerability to natural hazards is increased as a
direct consequence of population migration and
growth, and unsustainable consumption.

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About ICSU
and UNESCO

The non-governmental International Council for
Science (ICSU) represents the international science
community. With a global membership of national
scientific bodies (120 members representing 140
countries) and international scientific unions (31
members representing 31 different disciplines)
ICSU is uniquely placed due to its global coverage
and interdisciplinary breadth. ICSU is one of
the co-organising partners of the Scientific and
Technological Community Major Group for Rio+20,
and therefore participates alongside governments
and UN agencies in the Rio+20 Conference and its
preparations.
www.icsu.org

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialised
UN agency with unique transdisciplinary
competencies in education, the sciences, culture
and communication and information. UNESCO is
the only United Nations specialised agency with
a specific mandate to promote natural and social
sciences. It does this in close cooperation with
its Member States and other partners throughout
the world, in the interests of peace, human
rights and development. Since its foundation in
1945 UNESCO has acted as a catalyst for the
establishment of many, now leading, scientific
unions and bodies; initiatives with far-reaching
implications for sustainable human security and
wellbeing.
www.unesco.org

ICSU-UNESCO Regional Science and Technology Workshops

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ICSU-UNESCO Regional Science and Technology Workshops