At ICTP, 13 June: Paolo Budinich Science Diplomacy Lecture

[Gisela Isten]

TWAS-AAAS International Science & Diplomacy Programme
The Paolo Budinich Science Diplomacy Lecture

PAUL VAN GARDINGEN
Director
Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation Programme
United Kingdom

will be speaking about

Science & Diplomacy:
>From 18th Century Scottish Enlightenment
to 21st Century Sustainable Development

at the Kastler Lecture Hall, ICTP Adriatico Guest House
on Friday, 13 June 2014 – 14:00-15:30 hours

Everybody is most welcome to attend!


ABSTRACT

Science and diplomacy are intricately and essentially linked, even
though this may not be recognized by many members of either profession
or wider society.

Both are social constructs, often funded by governments and as such
there is an expectation that they should contribute to the development
and improvement of society around the world. Sometimes, both are
criticized for failing to deliver those improvements.

This lecture will trace examples of the links between science and
diplomacy from the 18th Century Scottish Enlightenment, the time of
David Hulme, Adam Smith and Robert Burns, through to the 21st Century, a
period of growing global challenges and responses such as the UN’s
proposed Sustainable Development Goals.

The lecture will use examples from the United Kingdom’s Ecosystem
Services for Poverty Alleviation Programme (ESPA) to demonstrate the
changing role of science in public and foreign policy drawing upon the
three themes or dimensions that emerged from the meeting on “New
Frontiers in Science Diplomacy” organized by the Royal Society and
American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2009. The
examples derived from ESPA, will also be used to illustrate the very
significant challenges that exist for both scientists and diplomats when
their domains come together.

Looking forward to 2015 and beyond, the lecture will consider how
science must be central to diplomatic efforts to respond to a range of
global challenges, including water, food and energy security, whilst
also addressing the most important challenge of reducing global poverty.