How can we reach a sustainable and equitable new normal in a post COVID-19 world? This virtual meeting addresses game-changing measures that will help build a more resilient world and summarizes key policy insights on how to move forward sustainably.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching consequences beyond the spread of the virus itself. There have been immediate adverse social and economic impacts including significant increases in people living below the poverty line and the potential for widespread famine. Progress that was being made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, now has the potential to fall behind.
IIASA and the ISC, in cooperation with the Permanent Missions of Norway and South Africa to the United Nations, are organizing an interactive discussion on Transformations within reach, as part of the 75th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) side events.
This virtual meeting will present key insights and recommendations that have emerged from extensive consultations with the scientific community and which suggest a way to operationalize a sustainable and equitable new normal. It is an opportunity to assess what we have learned from the COVID-19 response and to determine what has worked (and thus should be preserved and built on) and what did not (and thus should be avoided).
This event brings together leaders from academia and governments to exchange key insights and recommendations, including:
Former Secretary-General of the United Nations and patron of the IIASA – ISC Consultative Science Platform: Bouncing Forward Sustainably Post COVID-19
Patron of the Institute of Human right and Business, Chair of the Elders, Chair of the Advisory Board of the IIASA – ISC Consultative Science Platform, and ISC Patron
Agenda
| Opening remarks | Heide Hackmann, Chief Executive Officer of ISC |
| Message from Government of Norway | H.E. Dag-Inge Ulstein, Minister of International Development of Norway |
| Message from Government of South Africa | Phil Mjwara, Director-General (DG) of the Department of Science and Innovation, South Africa |
| Message from former UN Secretary General | H.E. Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary General of the United Nations and Patron of the IIASA – ISC Consultative Science Platform |
| Presentation of the key recommendations for Transformations within Reach | H.E. Mary Robinson, Patron of the Institute of Human Rights and Business, Chair of the Elders, Chair of the Advisory Board of the IIASA – ISC Consultative Science Platform |
| Perspectives from the private sector on Transformations within Reach | Peter Bakker, President and CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development |
| Q&A – lead by moderator | Leena Srivastava, Deputy Director General for Science of IIASA |
| Closing Remarks | Albert van Jaarsveld, Director General and CEO of IIASA |
Background
Starting in May 2020, IIASA and the International Science Council (ISC) launched the IIASA – ISC Consultative Science Platform: Bouncing Forward Sustainably Post COVID-19. The two organizations have drawn on their combined strengths, expertise, and large scientific communities, to come up with a set of insights and recommendations based on a series of online consultations that have brought together over 200 experts from all regions of the world. These online consultations have focused on four themes: strengthening science systems, responsive governance, resilient food systems, and sustainable energy, co-led by scientists from IIASA and the ISC. The platform is informed and supported by an advisory board under the patronage of the former UN Secretary General, H.E. Ban Ki-moon and the Chair of the Elders H.E. Mary Robinson. Currently, the initiative has the following partners: Ban Ki-moon Center, Future Earth, the Earth League, and the Vienna Energy Forum.
Leena Srivastava
Deputy Director General for Science
Directorate – DDG For Science
T +43(0) 2236 807 500
srivastava@iiasa.ac.at
Luis Gomez Echeverri
Emeritus Research Scholar
Directorate – DDG For Science
T +43(0) 2236 807 611
gomez@iiasa.ac.at
Heide Hackmann
Chief Executive Officer
International Science Council
ceo@council.science
Flavia Schlegel
Special Envoy for Science in Global Policy
International Science Council
flavia.schlegel@council.science
IIASA-ISC Consultative Science Platform
MORE INFORMATION
Bouncing Forward Sustainably: Pathways to a post-COVID World
IIASA-ISC Consultative Science Platform
MORE INFORMATION
Concept note (PDF)
Publications
- Mechler R, Stevance A-S, & Deubelli T (2020). 2nd Consultation Report. Bouncing Forward Sustainably: Pathways to a post-COVID World. Governance for Sustainability.
- Rovenskaya E, Kaplan D, & Sizov S (2020). 2nd Consultation Report. Bouncing Forward Sustainably: Pathways to a post-COVID World. Strengthening Science Systems.
- Sperling F, Havlik P, Denis M, Gaupp F, Palazzo A, Valin H, & Visconti P (2020). Report on Second Consultative Science Platform. Bouncing Forward Sustainably: Pathways to a post-COVID World. Resilient Food Systems.
- Gomez Echeverri L, Zakeri B, Alexander S, Barreto-Gomez L, Bazilian M, Boza-Kiss B, Creutzig F, Fritz S, et al (2020). Report on First Consultative Science Platform. Bouncing Forward Sustainably: Pathways to a post-COVID World. Sustainable Energy.
