Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Science diplomacy-the use of science to advance diplomatic goalsis critical for addressing challenges to the global commons such as climate change and pandemics.Beyond the formal processes of science diplomacy, scientists and scientific organizations can play important informal diplomatic roles.We live in perilous times, with informed commentary being dominated by pandemics, climate change, environmental degradation, collapse of the post-World War II rules-based system, growing nationalism, declining social cohesion, and disinformation.At the same time, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals has been inadequate [1].The broader consequences of this confluence of factors for citizens in every part of the world have manifested as increased inequalities, loss of opportunity, greater mental health concerns, and greater fragility for many lives.Science and technology have had causal roles in these evolving challenges, but will be critical to finding solutions.The sciences and their technological offspring contributed to the marked extension in lifespan that all societies have seen in the past 100 years.But the very technologies that have been developed also gave rise to greenhouse gas emissions and advanced weapons.As scientists argue for the use of new technologies and the better application of much existing knowledge to address the many challenges ahead, we must ensure societies are appropriately engaged.Many of these issues transcend national borders or are common across countries.Science diplomacy, the use of science to advance diplomatic goals, is an important strategy in effecting better engagement.Such diplomacy can be parsed by whether those goals are to advance a nation's direct interests (e.g., in security, trade, or projecting soft power) or whether they commit to addressing the challenges to the global commons [2].The tragedy of growing nationalism is that it can override the latter as a priority, as AU : Anabbreviationlisthasbeencompiledforthoseuse has been illustrated in the responses to climate change, to issues surrounding the Arctic, and the management of ocean resources.Each of these-and, indeed, aspects of the response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) [3]-shows how we confront a fragile future when transnational cooperation is weak.Yet, even in difficult times, diplomatic advances can be made.The first cold war was not devoid of major diplomatic advances, many of which originated with science [4].The International Geophysical Year (1957), organized by the International Council of Scientific Unions
Source: PLoS Biology
Author: Peter D. Gluckman
Institutions: University of Auckland, International Science Council
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,300
OpenAlex ID: W4308018694