The Natural Sciences Sector

2006-2007 Biennium

New UNESCO National Commission Secretaries-General

Walter Erdelen, Assistant Director-General, Natural Sciences Sector Paris, 26 February 2007

Major Programme II - Natural Sciences

Programme II.1 : Sciences, Environment and Sustainable Development

Programme II.2 : Capacity Building in Science and Technology for Sustainable Development

Natural Sciences

Water and

AssociatedEcosystems

Oceans

Capacitybuilding

in basic andengineering

sciences

Naturalresources,

disaster,renewable

energy

Principal Priority

Programme Budget 2006-07

Total Science SectorUS$ 56 Million

TOTAL UNESCO programme budget 2006-07

US$ 610 Million

US$ 554 Million

Intergovernmental Oceanographic

Commission (IOC)Coastal Regions & Small Islands Project (SC/CSI)

OFFICE OF THE ADG

Coordination & Evaluation (SC/EO/UCE)

Strategic Partnership & Information (SC/EO/SPI)

Administration (SC/EO/AO)

EXECUTIVE OFFICE (SC/EO)

NATURAL SCIENCES SECTOR (SC) - HQ

32 C/5 Current Status

Disaster Reduction (SC/GEO/DIS)

DIVISION OF BASIC & ENGINEERING SCIENCES

(SC/BES)

Office of the Director

Basic Sciences

Disaster Reduction and Renewable Energy

Capacity Building and Science & Engineering Education

DIVISION OF SCIENCE ANALYSIS & POLICIES (SC/AP)

Office of the Director

Science Policy Studiies (SC/AP/PS)

S & T Strategic Planning and Evaluation (SC/AP/PE)

Science Systems Management (SC/AP/SM)

DIVISION OF ECOLOGICAL AND

EARTH SCIENCES (SC/EES)

Office of the Director MAB Secretariat

Ecological Sciences and Biodiversity

Biosphere Networks and Capacity Building

Global Earth Observation Section IGCP Secretariat

DIVISION OF WATER SCIENCES (SC/HYD)

Office of the Director IHP Secretariat

Hydrological Processes & Climate

Sustainable Water Resource Systems

Global Water Assessment

… towards 33 C/5

DIVISION OF SCIENCE POLICY AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

(SC/SPSD)

Office of the Director

Science and Technology Policy

Coastal Regions and Small Islands

DESD Co-ordination

Studies, Publications & Outreach

Information and Coordination

(SC/EO/IC)

Administration

(SC/EO/AO)

OFFICE OF THE ADG

Executive Office

(SC/EO)

Information and Coordination(SC/EO/IC)

AdministrationSC/EO/AO

Towards 33 C/5

Natural Sciences Sector Communications Strategy

• Quarterly newsletter A World of Science

• Periodic UNESCO Science Report and thematic reports

• Science in Africa booklet for AU Summit

• New historical publication : Sixty Years of Science at UNESCO: 1945 to 2005

• New strategy being implemented

• Main objective: to enhance understanding of hydrological processes occurring in nature and society to develop a sustainable approach to water resources management

• International Decade for Action: Water for Life 2005-2015

• Houses Secretariat for International Hydrological Programme (IHP)

• Houses World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) Secretariat

• Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy (HELP)

• Flow Regimes from International Experimental Network Data(FRIEND)

• UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education (Category I)

• 12 Category II Centres around the world

Water Sciences

Postgraduate Education, Training and Capacity Postgraduate Education, Training and Capacity Building in Water, Environment and Building in Water, Environment and

InfrastructureInfrastructure

International Hydrological Programme

The first Category 1 Water Centre

Without sufficient qualified professionals to manage water resources and to address water challenges, any other investment is at risk

Evolving

Operational Proposed

Demonstration N EuropeAMHY

S. Africa

Asian Pacific

HKH

AOC

Nile

AMIGO

IHP cross-cutting Programmes, FRIEND and HELP

HELP: Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy

FRIEND: Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data

• Secretariat for Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme• Operational tool is the World Network of Biosphere Reserves –

507 sites in 102 countries (including Transboundary Biosphere Reserves)

• Biosphere reserves - living laboratories for sustainable development and learning sites including about climate change, for the UN DESD

• MAB Young Scientists Awards• Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP)• Sustainability and Capacity Building• Regional Post-graduate Training School on Integrated

Management of Tropical Forests (ERAIFT)

Ecological Sciences

Biosphere reserves are sites which seek to reconcile socioeconomic development, and conservation of biodiversity based on local community efforts and sound science.

Biosphere Biosphere ReservesReserves

507 sites in 102 countries

WSSD Type II Partnership

Earth Sciences

• Secretariat of the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP)

• Geological Applications of Remote Sensing Programme (GARS)

• Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

• Remote sensing for conservation of World Heritage sites and biosphere reserves through the Open Initiative

• Space education to enhance and popularize science

Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

Third Summit 17 February 2005, Brussels

Approved of the Plan for the creation of a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) over the period of 2005-2015. UNESCO takes a lead role in promoting partnerships and in building indigenous capacities for improving geohazard, water cycle, ecological and biodiversity in situ and space-based observations, which are essential components of the implementation of GEOSS.

UNESCO has partnerships through the Open Iniative UNESCO has partnerships through the Open Iniative with space agencies to help World Heritage with space agencies to help World Heritage

Convention sitesConvention sites

Help to Developing Countries:

• Satellite monitoring of World Heritage sites

• Capacity-building

View from 700 km altitude of the Great

Pyramid at Giza

Several Projects UnderwaySeveral Projects Underway

• GPS-compatible maps for World Heritage sites in Central Africa

• Monitoring the conservation status of Iguazu/Iguaçu National Parks (Argentina/Brazil)

• Landslides at Machu Picchu: satellites can detect earth movement before landslides

- Global Ocean Observing Systems (GOOS)

- Tsunami Warning Systems in the Pacific, Indian Oceans, and Mediterranean and European and Caribbean Seas

- Building a Global Ocean Hazard Warning System

- Marine Science Leadership Capacity Building

- Access to Ocean Data and Information (IODE)

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

UN Focal Point for Oceans

=> To DETECT AND VERIFY

=> To ALERT

=> To be PREPARED

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

Tsunami : Early Warning Systems

To provide and co-ordinate end-to-end systemsTogether with other UN partners

-

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE)

• Global network of 65 ocean data centres

• ODINAFRICA: access to oceanographic data for 25 Member States

• Caribbean and South America, Indian Ocean, European Countries in Economic Transition

Basic &Engineering

Sciences

• International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP)• Capacity building in science and engineering, including the

UNESCO-L’OREAL Prizes and Fellowships for Women in Science• International Centre of Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science

and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME)• Natural disasters• Renewable energy

A new platform for international co-operation

Background :World Conference on Science (WCS, Budapest 1999)

Science Agenda – Framework for Action / A comprehensive consensus identified

Strengthening national capacitiesSharing and transfer of knowledge through training

Improving science education and public awareness of scienceS&T capacity building through networking

International Basic Sciences

Programme(IBSP)

Other priorities of UNESCO include promoting capacity building in

engineering and the application of engineering and technology to address the MDGs and the promotion of a culture of maintenance. Activities include:

– engineering education and training, standards and accreditation– curricula and teaching materials, distance and interactive learning– engineering for poverty reduction and sustainable development – policy, public understanding, gender issues and ethics of engineering

Recent workshop activities and publications include:

Engineering Education and Sustainable Development, Beijing 2006

“Small is Working: Technology for Poverty Reduction”

“Technology Business Incubation” toolkit on innovation

“Gender Indicators in Science, Engineering and Technology”

Engineering Engineering SciencesSciences

Renewable Renewable EnergyEnergy

Renewable Energy

Guiding Considerations• Regional consultations & national priorities• Recommendations of WSSD, JPOI and CSD• Contribution to UN-Energy

Renewable Energy Strategy

• Promote RE in addressing developmental issues and MDG’s• Human & institutional capacity building – GREET Programme activities• Dissemination of scientific knowledge and technology • Policy advice and definition of national strategies• Support to pilot initiatives to enhance field knowledge• Advocacy for energy diversification and efficiency• Conference at Ministerial level (Kazakhstan 2006,

UNESCO/RussianFederation at HQ 2007, etc.)

UNESCO'S Role:

knowledge and education for natural disaster reduction

Identification of Hazards and Risks Monitoring of hazards, hazard mapping, risk assessment

Promotion of Preventive and Mitigation Measures Promotion of early warning systems Training of engineers for design of buildings to resist disasters Educating and raising awareness for disaster preparedness - school children, decision-makers Guidelines for the protection of school buildings and cultural sites

Natural Disaster Reduction

an interdisciplinary approach

Science Policy and Sustainable

Development

• Capacity-building in science policy formulation– Regional Level

• NEPAD, Balkans, Caribbean

– Country level• Nigeria, Congo, Senegal, Mozambique, Mongolia, etc.

• University Industry Partnership (UNISPAR)• Women, science & technology

– UNESCO Science Report on Gender• Ethics of Science : A special study• UNESCO Science Prizes

Priority Actions

• Governance of the national science, technology and innovation systems

• Capacity-building for planning development programmes

• Investment programmes for poverty reduction

• Financing science and technology

NEPAD

African Union Summit

UNESCO participation in the African Union SummitAddis Ababa, January 2007

• Actively participated in the development and lead-up to the AU Summit (AMOCOST meetings, etc.)

• The NEPAD plan for S&T became Africa’s S&T Consolidated Plan of Action

• Consolidated inputs of the UN Cluster in favour of NEPAD

• Produced Science in Africa booklet• Director-General gave keynote speech (science

governance and policy, science ethics, marine and water issues highlighted)

Assist over 40 Small Island Member States and Associate Members towards sustainable human development by:

Implementing the Mauritius Strategy on Small Islands Developing States

Enhancing the viability and resilience of small island communities Elaborating wise practices to strengthen coastal communities Mobilising Youth action for sustainable communities Educating for sustainable island living Sharing and transferring of wise practices through Global and

youth internet forums to foster 'science for society' communication.

Coastal and Small Islands

Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Promoting equity in biodiversity governance through partnerships among indigenous knowledge-holders, scientists and resource managers.

Enhancing the dynamism of indigenous knowledge within local communities by reinforcing its inter-generational transmission.

The Natural Sciences Sector and the National Commissions: working together

• Nat Comms can help deliver UNESCO programmes at home—act as extension for decentralization

• Nat Comms can suggest ideas for SC activities. Example: New Zealand suggested working on SD from a local perspective in the Pacific, leading to other regional SD studies

• Nat Comms can collaborate with SC, example: Canada, Sweden, USA, others to work on exhibition at next General Conference on Planet Earth

• Nat Comms are our link to subject experts and relevant institutions in-country

UNESCO National Commissions – Walter Erdelen, ADG/SC

Thank you for attention

Большое

спасибо

ا ًر&شك

جًّد*ا

Thank youMerci

Gracias

Xié xie ni men