Previous Fora / 2007
Day 2 of WSF 2007
2007.11.10.
Highlights of Day 2 – World Science Forum Budapest 2007
Reports of Representatives of Global Fora
There are several fora of scientists and decision makers dealing with different aspects of scientific research and the advancement of technologies. It was one of the original ideas of the conference to become a sort of forum of fora.
At this session, representatives of the most important global and other international organizations presented the views of their respective institutions such as – Meetings of Nobel Laureates in Lindau – The OECD Global Science Forum – The Japanese Science and Technology in Society Forum – The Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) – The World Bank – Knowledge Economy Forum and STI Global Forum – The Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) – The London International Youth Science Forum – and The AAAS Annual Meeting.
World famous scientists representing those fora have long wished for a meeting point that could be a framework for their cooperation. It is clear now that World Science Forum fulfills that expectation.
Investing in Knowledge for Sustainability – Science-Based Politics towards a Paradigm Change
This session was organized by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC). The participants emphasized that effective policies are needed in production oriented strategies. It is necessary to determine normative and sustainable levels of production. We already are in the possession of the knowledge needed to solve the problems occurring, but competition in science should be replaced with cooperation among various fields (e.g. social sciences, economics, biological or physical sciences) and nations.
Investing in Future Generations
This session was organized by the World Academy of Young Scientists (WAYS) in partnership with the EU. The first part of the session focused on the importance and ways of science education in elementary schools, on talent support and utilization and it also presented an overview on the most successful international programs in student and teacher education (IBSE, Pollen, Hungarian National Talent Support Program).
Interest for science among youngsters is high, but science teaching is far from adequate in most countries, as today's scientific challenges require researchers with increasingly complex and diverse curricula and this should be represented in science teaching as well.
Technology has revolutionized access to information and knowledge dissemination, the common goal should be to make it possible for everyone to reach these sources. The participants discussed new forms of teaching and learning methodology via the internet as a tool for learning anywhere, anytime, and any way (e.g. SciVee, TED, PLOS ONE, One Laptop per Child Initiative).
Special Session on "Investing in Science, Technology and Innovation: Challenges and Opportunities for Parliaments"
The session was organized by UNESCO and ISESCO (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
The institutions of governance are expected to assume responsibility for and to deal with the increasing influence of science and technology, as it permeates ever more areas of human life.
The participants emphasized the responsibility of decision makers over the use of new scientific results and the achievements of technology. While preserving the freedom of research, societal control on proper applications should be kept withlegislation, i.e. parliaments.
"There is a problem when it comes to the relationship between science and members of Parliament. Few Parliamentarians understand the possibilities of science. They do not understand the limitations of science, or the long time scales it can take to develop an idea into something that will benefit the community. Nor do scientists understand the work of members of Parliament. They do not have a clear idea of political processes. They do not appreciate the pressures or time scales Parliamentarians have to face. Both scientists and Parliamentarians recognize each other's importance. But there is no natural dialogue between the two sides because they come from different worlds, as Mr. Moneef R. Zou'bi, director general of the Islamic World Academy of Sciences said in concluding the session.
Investments in Knowledge in Accelerating Economies
The session was organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The main objective was to evaluate the role of science and science-based technology development in accelerating economies. There was a very broad approach to this important topic including such issues as education, innovation, science, key sectors of the socio-economic development, and international cooperation.
It was clearly stated that the overall goal of these countries is to improve the wellbeing of their societies, raise the quality of life and not simply to foster the consumption in quantitative terms, to achieve sustainable development. The development of the educational system, the increasing role of the scientific community have possibly had the most significant role in the success of these countries where knowledge has its roots in the specific culture and tradition.
In a sense, the new wealth of accelerating economies is created from knowledge; science and technology have become the engines of their rapid development. The key pillars of this science and technology-driven process are the investments in human resources, the promotion of research and development, and a continuous cycle of innovations.
In the course of this development, these countries also face such challenges as to tackle the problems of the brain drain, to build up a proper mechanism for intellectual property rights, or to find a constructive partnership between public and private organizations.
Launching the UNEP International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched a new scientific panel on sustainable resource management during World Science Forum's Friday afternoon session. The participation of the Hungarian Minister for the Environment, Gabor Fodor highlighted the importance of the event even further. The new panel, as a global think tank, will provide scientific assessments and expert advice on the use intensity, the security of supplies, and the environmental impacts of selected products and services on a global level.
Established by UNEP, with the support of a wide range of governments, the European Commission and representatives from civil society, the new scientific panel is part of an international partnership on resource management. It will look at the impacts of resources and materials used in all phases of their life cycle.