The G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable Meeting Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary

The G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable Meeting Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary may be found here. It can also be read in-line below.

G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable (G20-CSAR)
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
August 28, 2023

Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary

The Outcome Document pertains to paragraphs 1-12 and 14-17, which have been unanimously agreed to by all G20 delegations. The Chair’s summary pertains to Paragraph 13.

1. We, the Chief Science Advisers’ and the nominated equivalents of the G20 members as well as the guest countries met on 28 August 2023, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, for the second meeting of the G20-Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable (G20-CSAR).
2. We recognise the importance of sustained engagement of science advisers globally on key issues for evidence-informed policymaking and thus strengthening the science advice mechanisms at the national and international levels. The G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable under the Indian Presidency reflects this shared vision. As the G20 brings together scientific powers producing approximately 85% of the world’s scientific knowledge, it is an effective platform to discuss plausible solutions to our shared contemporary as well as emerging global priorities across different sectors.
3. We acknowledge that there is a global demand for coherent efforts for some of our contemporary priorities such as (a) leveraging opportunities in One Health, for better disease prevention, control, and pandemic preparedness, (b) synergizing global efforts to expand access to scholarly scientific knowledge, and (c) ensuring equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in Science and Technology Ecosystem, as well as known and unknown emerging priorities.
4. We have collectively deliberated and expressed our commitment towards the following common priorities during the Indian G20 Presidency.

Opportunities in One Health for better disease prevention, control, and pandemic preparedness

5. We recognise that interdependent health threats to human, animal, plant and environmental health should be addressed collectively through the One Health approach. We emphasise the need for exploring virtual spaces for collaborations and capacity development for knowledge and technologies related to disease control such as disease modelling and epidemic intelligence, environmental and pathogen surveillance, and other critical tools. We stress the need to facilitate the development of data standards for One Health via appropriate bodies for better information sharing.
6. We recommend connections and continued engagements between ‘One Health Institutes’ for facilitating collaboration in this space.
7. We also recommend continued engagements with the existing multilateral frameworks such as Quadripartite¹ and ‘One Health Joint Plan of Action’ to advance this agenda.

Synergising global efforts to expand access to scholarly scientific knowledge

8. We acknowledge the need to enable immediate and universal access to appropriate publicly funded scholarly scientific knowledge to communities within and beyond G20 members². We recognise that international collaborative efforts on this policy matter can further strengthen national priorities and ambitions and foster innovation. We acknowledge the importance of working together to synergise and align our open and public access policies and programs based on best practices in cognizance with the respective national legislations and policies. Such open and public access policies should uphold respect for universal human rights, the protection of national security, and principles and rules related to academic freedom, research integrity, privacy, and protection of intellectual property rights.
9. We recognize the importance of evolving approaches to providing immediate and free access to appropriate publicly funded research publications. We recommend establishing interoperability standards that would allow interlinking among various national as well as international repositories to expand access to publicly funded research outputs. We recommend that such policies should align with the FAIR³ principles. Frameworks for research assessment and evaluation that take into consideration the holistic contribution of research outputs, including both their intrinsic merit as well as the broader impact, are desirable and deserve further development.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEI&A) in Science and Technology Ecosystem

10. We understand that addressing structural inequalities is central to increasing DEI&A in the scientific and educational ecosystem, nurturing, and growing critical scientific human capital, and fulfilling our shared societal commitments. We recognize the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce – that reflects the diversity of our societies – in advancing science and technology, and we encourage planning with accessibility and inclusion in mind both in our everyday choices and in larger projects, programs, and initiatives.
11. We acknowledge the contribution of traditional and indigenous knowledge systems and recommend these systems to be taken into account with contemporary science to foster evidence-based innovations that are culturally- inspired and locally relevant⁴. We emphasise that the plurality of languages and knowledge systems be duly recognised in any inclusion-related policy discourse.
12. It is important to step up effort in the collection of disaggregated DEI&A data and integration of underused data in the science and technology ecosystem, while protecting privacy. We encourage the development and publication, as appropriate, of a comprehensive database on comparable DEI&A indicators which can foster evidence informed policymaking. The details of the proposed DEI&A database are to be further discussed.

Geopolitical Issues

13. This year, we have also witnessed the war in Ukraine further adversely impact the global economy. There was a discussion on the issue. We reiterated our national positions as expressed in other fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, which, in Resolution No. ES-11/1 dated 2 March 2022, as adopted by majority vote (141 votes for, 5 against, 35 abstentions, 12 absent) deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine. Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy – constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks. There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. Recognizing that the G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy^5,6.
14. It is essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. This includes defending all the Purposes and Principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and adhering to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and infrastructure in armed conflicts. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today’s era must not be of war.

A way forward: Creating an inclusive, continuous, and action-oriented Global Science Advice Mechanism

15. We will work towards creating a robust, relevant, and effective mechanism that brings chief science advisers and their nominated equivalents together to deliberate on contemporary issues that demand effective global science advice to address existing knowledge asymmetries that benefit global society equitably. G20-CSAR has set the stage for further discussions and deliberations where members and international organisations can converge on various multidisciplinary issues to impart synergistic science advice. Science Diplomacy can be used as a tool to enhance the synergies between the actors involved in this mechanism. G20-CSAR intends to further this mechanism that is accessible, inclusive, action-focused, outcome-oriented, and dynamic with scientific integrity and rigour at its core which strengthens the overall science advice ecosystem.
16. We will explore ways of making use of the G20-CSAR also for voluntary knowledge and resource sharing on mutually agreed terms to exchange best practices in the science advice process that is based upon inclusivity, heterogeneity, interdependency, transparency, plurality of expertise, and collective interest.
17. We thank the Indian Presidency for launching this initiative and look forward to the next edition of the roundtable.

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Footnotes:

1. Quadripartite for One Health https://www.who.int/news/item/29-04-2022-quadripartite-memorandum-of-understanding-(mou)-signed-for-a-new-era-of-one-health-collaboration
2. See, for example, the UNESCO declaration on Open Science: https://en.unesco.org/science-sustainable-future/open-science/recommendation
3. Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse
4. See, for example CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance https://www.gida-global.org/care
   
   Following countries stated their distinct positions on Paragraph 13 as presented below:
5. Russia rejected the inclusion of geopolitical Para 13, on the basis that it does not conform to the G20 mandate and recognizes the status of the Para 13 as Chair’s Summary. Russia agrees with the rest of the text.
6. China stated that the G20-CSAR is not the right forum to discuss geopolitical issues and did not support the inclusion of the geopolitical-related content.

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