The Central Role of International Scientific Cooperation in Meeting Global Challenges József Pálinkás President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and President of the World Science Forum – Budapest

We live in a world of growing Complexity-crisis complexity Complexity in satisfying basic needs (food, water, energy) Technological Financial Social Complexity of the impacts of the unprecedented power of humankind

These dynamics of natural and social processes need a systemic approach to the complex problems: ChangesImpactsResponses

The problems of the world cannot be solved with the same kind of thinking that created them. (Albert Einstein)

Common origin of „challenges” Many of the balances are lost:  local – global  freedom – responsibility  capacity of the individual perception – high-tech appliances and tools Crisis of the Sustainability! ImbalancesChallenges

Challenges: their scales and degrees If we are loosing the balance on a global scale, we talk about a “global challenge” Major changes that lead to significant lost of balances have unpredictable impacts on our life

The state of the world: Global challenges and their crosscutting nature Financial and economic crisis Climate change Energy security Population explosion in the developing world Ageing in the developed world Terrorism and local wars Complexity of decisions

Long time-horizon New ideas, intellectual innovation Harmony of local and global scales Authenticity Creditability Transparency Objectivity M ission and characteristics of science in the 21th century Requirements for the solution: Science can contribute to restore balances!

The state of science: change of paradigm The knowledge base means: common sense experience, skills scientific knowledge Growing need for inter- and multidisciplinarity Need for a better collaboration and common understanding between natural and social sciences (climate change) Technology dependence of science is growing We need science and technology policy Holistic approach

Science in the 21st Century Accepted and unique social and cultural mission A highly acknowledged human activity with widely appreciated institutions Policy for Science Policy for Technology Policy for the “and”

The role of science beyond laboratories and scientific findings In identifying the changes – measuring the impacts – advising adequate responses characteristics and methods are universal objectivity and transparency time scale and standards authenticity and ethics frontier of “known” and “unknown”

International scientific cooperation in the lead of global collaboration International Space Station Large Hadron Collider Mapping the Human Genome Fighting AIDS and HIV The credibility of science and its institutions makes international scientific collaboration a highly credible, widely supported and deeply appreciated human activity. Large scale science and technology projects bring together scientists of the whole world, providing “best practice” for other human activities.

International potential Tradition Practice Instead of politics Previous to politics Cooperation of many people Different cultures Common platforms: –scientific methods –pursuit of the truth Science Diplomacy  Ability to communicate and to build relationships  Science provides valuable, sometimes inevitable contribution to solving national and international problems  Role of civil society

An event of global science diplomacy: World Science Forum – Budapest Science and society at a global scale since 2003

Start: –World Conference on Science (1999) in Budapest, Hungary (UNESCO, ICSU, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungarian Government) Missions: –To provide a forum for major stakeholders of society for clarifying: Science on its own is not enough, economic, cultural and social aspects and instruments should be applied –To better understand the needs for science in political decision- making Messages: –We can define the new roles of science in society only with common efforts and can work out the bases for mutual commitments with joint inputs only –The WSF events have offered new ideas, ways and means for the interaction of science and society The next Forum will take place from 5 to 7 November, 2009

December 6-8, 2008.Academy Presidents' Forum, Taivan 16

Thank you for your attention! József Pálinkás