Science and technology inform multilateral strategic agendas

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Agência FAPESP* –Agência FAPESP – The FAPESP 60 Years Lectures began on June 23 with an address on “Science and Diplomacy” by Professor Celso Lafer, a former Brazilian foreign minister and former President of FAPESP.

“Science and knowledge have become a material source of substantial importance to international relations,” Lafer said in his talk, adding that novel concepts such as conservation, precaution and mitigation that currently underlie multilateral strategic agendas require scientific and technological knowledge. “They cannot be improvised,” he stressed.

The relationship between science and diplomacy has been particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged populations and economies everywhere on Earth. Its unpredictability has laid bare the insufficiency of international mechanisms.

For Lafer, the pursuit of solutions to the public health and economic crises has foregrounded science and the advanced stage reached by research. “This is the context for the debate about vaccines, their equitable distribution, access to inputs for their production, health and safety protocols, and the role of multilateralism and the World Health Organization,” he said, exemplifying the many facets of vaccine diplomacy.

Science and diplomacy should continue to go hand in hand in post-pandemic multilateral dealings. “In Brazil, we have had more than 500,000 deaths and there are problems of disruption in the health service. The world has experienced the worst economic contraction since the Great Depression, with an increase in inequality and the refugee problem,” Lafer said. The United Nations estimates that the financial cost of the pandemic could reach USD 8 trillion. “The cost of investment in answers to the challenges of this pandemic and preparation for the next one will be less than the costs already incurred by the spread of the disease.”

Science has been vitally important in this process and will continue to play a key role in terms of both “science for diplomacy”, via cross-border research and knowledge sharing, for example, and “science diplomacy”, via research networks and international cooperation.

Lafer highlighted FAPESP’s contributions to science diplomacy in both these senses, citing such initiatives as the FAPESP Week series of international seminars featuring researchers from Brazil and the host country, begun while he was its president, and the programs whereby it promotes research on biodiversity (BIOTA), bioenergy (BIOEN) and climate change (RPGCC).

A recording of the 1st FAPESP 60 Years Lecture can be watched on Agência FAPESP’s YouTube channel.

The importance of investing in S&T

FAPESP President Marco Antonio Zago introduced the 1st FAPESP 60 Years Lecture by explaining the choice of topic. In the past decade, he said, science has become vital to the sustainability and climate crisis action agendas, and more recently to efforts to deal with the pandemic.

“Brazil is at the center of the controversies relating to these agendas, with repercussions for our international image. We’re feeling the weight of political conflicts on our efforts to deal with COVID-19, and to acquire vaccines and ventilators, among other globally valuable goods,” Zago noted.

The event was closed by Patrícia Ellen, São Paulo State Secretary for Economic Development. “The pandemic has shown the true value of science, and the importance of investing in science and technology,” she said. “And this moment is showing us even more the value of FAPESP.”

Ellen mentioned FAPESP’s contribution to the development of vaccines by Butantan Institute and its recent investment in applied research. “FAPESP has also helped bring about important changes by means of co-investment,” she said, citing the example of the Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) it supports.

Zago announced the subjects of the 2nd and 3rd FAPESP 60 Years Lectures: environmental science and biodiversity on July 21; and violent societies on August 18.

<p><strong>Agência FAPESP</strong> – The FAPESP 60 Years Lectures began on June 23 with an address on “Science and Diplomacy” by Professor Celso Lafer, a former Brazilian foreign minister and former President of FAPESP.</p>

<p>“Science and knowledge have become a material source of substantial importance to international relations,” Lafer said in his talk, adding that novel concepts such as conservation, precaution and mitigation that currently underlie multilateral strategic agendas require scientific and technological knowledge. “They cannot be improvised,” he stressed.</p>

<p>The relationship between science and diplomacy has been particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged populations and economies everywhere on Earth. Its unpredictability has laid bare the insufficiency of international mechanisms.</p>

<p>For Lafer, the pursuit of solutions to the public health and economic crises has foregrounded science and the advanced stage reached by research. “This is the context for the debate about vaccines, their equitable distribution, access to inputs for their production, health and safety protocols, and the role of multilateralism and the World Health Organization,” he said, exemplifying the many facets of vaccine diplomacy.</p>

<p>Science and diplomacy should continue to go hand in hand in post-pandemic multilateral dealings. “In Brazil, we have had more than 500,000 deaths and there are problems of disruption in the health service. The world has experienced the worst economic contraction since the Great Depression, with an increase in inequality and the refugee problem,” Lafer said. The United Nations estimates that the financial cost of the pandemic could reach USD 8 trillion. “The cost of investment in answers to the challenges of this pandemic and preparation for the next one will be less than the costs already incurred by the spread of the disease.”</p>

<p>Science has been vitally important in this process and will continue to play a key role in terms of both “science for diplomacy”, via cross-border research and knowledge sharing, for example, and “science diplomacy”, via research networks and international cooperation.</p>

<p>Lafer highlighted FAPESP’s contributions to science diplomacy in both these senses, citing such initiatives as the FAPESP Week series of international seminars featuring researchers from Brazil and the host country, begun while he was its president, and the programs whereby it promotes research on biodiversity (BIOTA), bioenergy (BIOEN) and climate change (RPGCC).</p>

<p>A recording of the 1st FAPESP 60 Years Lecture can be watched on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlCQrGmbSNo" target="_blank"><strong>Agência FAPESP’s YouTube channel</strong></a>.</p>

<p><strong>The importance of investing in S&T</strong></p>

<p>FAPESP President <a href="https://fapesp.br/11698" target="_blank"><strong>Marco Antonio Zago</strong></a> introduced the 1st FAPESP 60 Years Lecture by explaining the choice of topic. In the past decade, he said, science has become vital to the sustainability and climate crisis action agendas, and more recently to efforts to deal with the pandemic.</p>

<p>“Brazil is at the center of the controversies relating to these agendas, with repercussions for our international image. We’re feeling the weight of political conflicts on our efforts to deal with COVID-19, and to acquire vaccines and ventilators, among other globally valuable goods,” Zago noted.</p>

<p>The event was closed by Patrícia Ellen, São Paulo State Secretary for Economic Development. “The pandemic has shown the true value of science, and the importance of investing in science and technology,” she said. “And this moment is showing us even more the value of FAPESP.”</p>

<p>Ellen mentioned FAPESP’s contribution to the development of vaccines by Butantan Institute and its recent investment in applied research. “FAPESP has also helped bring about important changes by means of co-investment,” she said, citing the example of the Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) it supports.</p>

<p>Zago announced the subjects of the 2nd and 3rd FAPESP 60 Years Lectures: environmental science and biodiversity on July 21; and violent societies on August 18.</p>

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