Signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding between the World Health Organization and the International Science Council
The new agreement will facilitate and consolidate collaboration efforts between the two organizations considering their common goals relating to research, development and innovation in global health, and in the interest of better responding to and solving health issues of global concern. The agreement aims to enhance the contribution of science to global health and sustainable development, to facilitate mobilization of scientific expertise and to strengthen science-policy interfaces relevant to health.
“I am delighted to build on the already productive work of the International Science Council and the WHO as exemplified by the COVID project, and to extend the relationship in a more formal way to advance healthy societies,” said Sir Peter Gluckman, President of the International Science Council.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is a powerful demonstration of the importance of research, development and innovation for responding to health threats,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Partnership is essential for harnessing the power of science for health, and this new agreement between WHO and the International Science Council reflects the importance of the scientific and UN communities working closely together.”
With the ISC’s unique global membership representing both the natural and social sciences, and the WHO’s authority within the United Nations system to direct and coordinate, this new agreement will strengthen the contribution of the international scientific community to the advancement of health research, development and innovation. The MoU will also promote dialogues on how to tackle health issues of global relevance by bringing to bear integrated knowledge across all sciences.
To this end, both organizations have agreed to work together on:
- Advancing global health research and sustainable development, including in the areas of foresight, horizon scanning, knowledge sharing and shaping of the global research agenda.
- Advancing evidence-informed decision-making for health policy and programmes.
- Strengthening trust in science for better uptake of health advice through communicating public health guidelines, collaborating on the creation and use of digital content, and addressing mis- and dis-information.
While the WHO and the ISC have already collaborated recently on work related to the coronavirus pandemic, notably on the ISC’s policy report Unprecedented & Unfinished: COVID-19 and Implications for National and Global Policy, this new agreement now enables both organizations to focus on their shared strategic and operational priorities and to use their comparative strengths and advantages to maximize impact. Combining and connecting the scientific and policy expertise of both organizations will be key to ensuring evidence-based decision-making in the broad area of health and to strengthening trust in science at the global scale.
Image by World Health Organization
Related Items
Cultivating a proactive approach to crises: first meeting of the UNEP/ISC foresight expert panel
26.09.2023

"The making of the Golden Record of our century": daring to pursue mission-oriented science
19.09.2023

To achieve sustainable development, the world needs to mobilize around a big science approach once more
13.09.2023

Proclamation of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development by the United Nations General Assembly
29.08.2023

The ISC addresses the UN High Level Political Forum and meets with the UN Secretary General
24.07.2023

A Model for Implementing Mission Science for Sustainability: proposed by the Technical Advisory Group to the Global Commission on Science Missions for Sustainability
11.07.2023

The ISC at the Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution
29.05.2023

Rising to the challenge of the High-Level Meeting on the Sendai Framework: Insights from the ISC's latest disaster risk reduction report
18.05.2023

ISC's nomination track ensures transdisciplinary and global representation in UNEP's Scientific Advisory Group for GEO-7 Assessment
14.04.2023

UN 2023 Water Conference carries new engagements towards realizing SDG6 and future avenues for a decade of action
23.03.2023

IPCC report: the world must cut emissions and urgently adapt to the new climate realities
21.03.2023

Delivering actionable and science-based water solutions: new ISC policy brief launched ahead of the 2023 UN Water Conference
15.03.2023

Achieving gender equality in Science, Technology and Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)– when will we get there?
08.03.2023

World is set to miss UN targets for preventing deadly and costly disasters by 2030, warns International Science Council
28.02.2023

Distinguished lecture series - From fire to space - Basic sciences lead and shape our paths toward sustainable development
13.02.2023

Invitation to ISC Members and their networks to second experts on horizon scanning and foresight
08.02.2023

Concern for science and research in Afghanistan following authorities' ban on women from higher education
24.01.2023

The ISC and UNEP to cooperate on advancing the use of science in environmental policy and decision-making
16.12.2022

Call for nominations for authors, review editors and fellows to contribute to the drafting of the 7th edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7)
04.12.2022

The state of HIV/AIDS research in Africa: An interview with Dr. Joyce Nyoni for World AIDS Day
01.12.2022

There are 8 years left to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, but is it enough time?
18.11.2022

Are we in a new era of climate adaptation implementation? The role of regional governments in facilitating local action
09.11.2022

In the face of extreme weather events, coordinated global action to address climate change is needed at COP27
04.11.2022

Scientific review of the first-order draft of the 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report completed
03.11.2022

Happy birthday to the Montreal Protocol – the most successful environmental treaty of all time?
16.09.2022

Joint letter to ISC Members from ISC President, Peter Gluckman, and Acting CEO, Mathieu Denis
06.04.2022

Women Leading on Equitable and Inclusive Solutions to address the Climate Emergency: Webinar
08.03.2022

Further action on biosecurity is needed to safeguard the rapidly growing global seaweed industry
04.01.2022

The International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly for 2022
03.12.2021

Negotiations on ending global plastic pollution must be informed by scientific assessment
22.11.2021

Ten outstanding individual scientists and organizations celebrated in first ever ISC Awards
13.10.2021

Strengthening the resilience of our global food system while advancing its transformation
23.09.2021

The global vectors of uncertainty that will influence the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic: results of the regional experts' discussions
14.09.2021

Call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity, and protect health
06.09.2021

A response to The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response’s new report on the international health response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
12.05.2021

High-level group appointed to lead the development of the ISC’s strategy in the intergovernmental system
29.03.2021

Working scientist podcast: Democratizing knowledge and access to tools for sustainable development
11.03.2021

The ISC has been honoured to have Dr Flavia Schlegel serve as its first Special Envoy for Science in Global Policy
22.12.2020

ISC and Sustainability in the Digital Age partner to drive transformative system changes for an equitable world
27.11.2020

Call for Nominations for the Scientific Committee for the Urban Health and Wellbeing programme
13.12.2019

Global Sustainable Development Report 2019 calls for urgent, targeted action to avoid reversing the development gains of recent decades
23.09.2019

ISC commits to enhanced collaboration with UN-Habitat and UNDRR on urban health and wellbeing and disaster risk reduction
20.06.2019

The triumphs and trials of transdisciplinary research: reflections on the un-disciplining of disciplines
28.05.2019

External evaluation report of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is now available
19.04.2019

Wellbeing in the Digital Age: INGSA report on the effect of digital technologies on government, society and individual wellbeing
08.10.2018

The United Nations proclaims the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements
10.01.2018

SDG Interactions, gender, science-policy interface: ICSU at the High Level Political Forum
17.07.2017

First UN Oceans conference highlights urgency to address marine pollution, warming and over-fishing
15.06.2017

International Council for Science calls on United States to support international efforts to combat dangerous climate change
01.06.2017

New report from scientific experts provides a unique guide to translate Sustainable Development Goals into reality
12.05.2017

GSDR report launches in France – High level event and workshop co-organized by ICSU, UNDESA, IDDRI and IRD
28.10.2016
ICSU’s Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme highlights importance of health issues at UNEP General Assembly
24.05.2016
ICSU’s Urban Health programme convenes workshop in China on modelling approaches to human health risks in cities
02.05.2016
Call for nominations: Scientific Committee for Health and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment: a Systems Analysis Approach
23.11.2015
Call for expressions of interest: Modeling urban health and wellbeing – communicating results for policy and action
23.09.2015
More than 1,000 delegates gather in Geneva for talks on global disaster risk reduction agreement
20.11.2014

Paper published on ICSU's programme on Health and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment
11.01.2013
Science Plan on Health and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment – ICSU Regional Office for Asia & the Pacific
10.01.2013
Towards a Systems Analysis Approach to Health and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment
03.03.2007
ICSU launches an Agenda for Action in advance of the World Summit on the Information Society
17.07.2003