Timeline

30 JANUARY

World Health Organization declares the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

11 FEBRUARY

International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

11 FEBRUARY

Gender Gap in Science Project – Findings published in report.

12 FEBRUARY

ISC announces Memorandum of Understanding with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) in support of the UN Ocean Decade.

17 FEBRUARY

Internet pioneer Vinton G. Cerf becomes a Patron of the ISC.

7 MARCH

ISC Presents podcast launches with ‘Women in Science’ series.

8 MARCH

International Women’s Day

11 MARCH

World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic.

25 MARCH

ISC launches COVID-19 portal to provide an overview of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by the ISC community

1 APRIL

Daya Reddy and ISC patron Mary Robinson release a statement on tackling climate change with urgency.

14 APRIL

‘If ever it was vital to listen to the scientists, it is now’, writes ISC President Daya Reddy in a message to the Council’s Members.

15 APRIL

Reflections on constructing a human-centred development paradigm, a Statement by ISC Patron Ismail Serageldin, launches the ‘Rethinking Human Development’ joint initiative by the ISC and the United Nations Development Programme.

30 APRIL

ISC LIRA2030 programme publishes Advancing the 2030 Agenda in African cities through knowledge co-production: Urban experiments led by early-career African scientists.

25 MAY

Death of George Floyd in police custody sparks demonstrations worldwide against anti-Black racism.

3 JUNE

ISC launches Global Science TV in partnership with the Australian Academy of Science

4 JUNE

ISC publishes draft Working Paper on Open Science for the 21st Century.

9 JUNE

ISC President and CEO release statement on combating systemic racism and other forms of discrimination.

10 JUNE

Shutdown STEM movement closes universities, research institutes and other scientific workplaces worldwide, including the ISC’s Paris headquarters.

16 JUNE

The ISC Regional Office for Africa launches the African Scientists Directory in partnership with the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf).

24 JUNE

In collaboration with IAP and TWAS, the ISC launches a new initiative to develop a coordinated response to the increasing number of displaced researchers.

7 JULY

As the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development begins, the ISC publishes a position paper as co-organizer of the Scientific and Technological Community Major Group at the United Nations.

28 JULY

ISC publishes Hazard Definition & Classification Review in partnership with UNDRR and with the input of many ISC Members, including disciplinary Unions.

5 NOVEMBER

ISC hosts Virtual Circle Table on Combating Systemic Discrimination in Science at Falling Walls.

9 NOVEMBER

ISC publishes Conversations on Rethinking Human Development, and an accompanying multimedia website in readiness for a global virtual dialogue on World Science Day.

10 NOVEMBER

World Science Day

10 NOVEMBER

UN and partners, including the ISC, release new Research Roadmap to guide recovery from COVID-19.

27 NOVEMBER

ISC announces partnership with Sustainability in the Digital Age initiative.

16 DECEMBER

Global Carbon Budget 2020 Finds Record Drop in Emissions.

22 DECEMBER

The international scientific community has ‘risen to the occasion’ during this turbulent year, writes ISC President Daya Reddy in an end-of-year message to ISC Members