A dialogue with society, more funding, and more women in science are keys for sustainable development.
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The last part of the sub-chapter 3.1 of the report The Future is Now begins with a paragraph that we could borrow for IYBSSD 2022 documents.
[…] In dialogue with society, researchers in relevant fields should define the necessary combination of disciplinary, inter- or trans-disciplinary approaches. In that way, they can create a sense of shared worldwide mission. The 2030 Agenda can help to energize and crystallize a new global effort with a common goal and become a new moon shot for the global community.
Funding
Then, they point the lack of funding for science: another important topic for IYBSSD 2022.
At present, States are currently spending relatively little on research and development to implement the 2030 Agenda. Nowadays, a large proportion of research is driven by commercial interests (61 per cent of all worldwide research and development) or comes from private funds and philanthropic research and is concentrated in certain countries. That is worrying because during the post-war golden era of economic growth and invention, radical risk-taking and technological innovation were financed largely by the public sector. Meeting today’s sustainability challenges requires rapid, unprecedented funding, both public or private.
Women in science
They don’t forget the importance of having more women in science and technology. It will be another very important theme for IYBSSD 2022, based on the very important work already done by the Gender Gap in Science project.
Thus, women should be supported and encouraged through education and career opportunities for sustainability science but also by building strong networks such as the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists, a global network of organizations of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
