The International Science Council (ISC) is pleased to announce that its Science Missions for Sustainability initiative has been officially endorsed as a programme of the United Nations (UN)’ International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033). This recognition reinforces the ISC’s commitment to advancing mission-driven, interdisciplinary research that delivers tangible solutions to sustainability challenges worldwide.
The Science Missions for Sustainability are a transformative science model designed to foster solution-oriented research that ensures knowledge is fully actionable, integrated, and applied for practical solutions that match the scale of humanity’s most critical challenges. Through twelve transdisciplinary Pilot Missions selected from over 250 global submissions, the programme aims to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and real-world impact, supporting evidence-based policy and innovation.
By aligning with the objectives of the UN Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, the ISC’s Science Missions contribute to fostering a globally coordinated scientific response to sustainability challenges. This endorsement recognizes the crucial role of science in shaping a more equitable and resilient future and underscores the ISC’s leadership in advocating for science-based solutions to complex global issues.
As part of this collaboration, ISC and UNESCO co-hosted a meeting on Enabling Transformative Science for Sustainable Development: A call to science funders. This meeting provided an opportunity for leading science funders, philanthropic foundations, and development agencies to engage with the Decade, ISC Science Missions, work on closing the gender gap in science and explored ways to reshape research funding for transformative, mission-driven science. A key focus of this two-day meeting was matching funders with selected Science Mission Pilots, ensuring impactful, scalable, and trust-based investments that support interdisciplinary collaboration and solutions at the intersection of global challenges.
For more information about the ISC Science Missions for Sustainability, please contact Megha Sud, Senior Science Officer, at [email protected].
Read more about Science Missions for Sustainability
Read more about Funding actionable science: Advancing mission-oriented research for sustainability
Read more about Experts call to anchor ocean sustainability efforts in science, ahead of UNOC-3
Read more about Ocean science for sustainability: Insights from the ISC Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue and call to action | deadline: 13 April
