WASD UNEP Conference 2019

17th WASD International Conference
6th Diaspora International Conference

The theme of the conference is to strengthening the role of science, innovation and research uptake in service of the 2030 Agenda for SD. The conference will therefore critically examine the important role of science, innovation and research for the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and to provoke forward thinking on the role of science, innovation and research in solving global problems related to sustainability. The problematique of managing science, innovation and research for SD is strongly influenced by the institutional culture in which international discussions have taken place. Successful management of science, innovation and research requires developing new methods and approaches to suit the challenges and opportunities of this new era of digital revolution. These new approaches call for actions to create different appropriate ways of doing things and of doing new things that will be essential to solve our future problems and help in the implementation of SDGs. Systematic search for opportunities is important for helping to ameliorate the many problems facing the globe. We must therefore produce, consume and organise ourselves differently.

One aspect of the conference is to improve the policy research within the United Nations system to help achieve the 2030 SDGs by addressing the significant demand for evidence-based research across the world. The World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD) is inspired by the conviction that the 2030 Agenda and its 17 goals provides momentum for a renewed UN engagement with the academic and research policy institutions and individuals. The conference aims to provide practical recommendations and actions to help transform the way the UN conducts and uses research to achieve the SDGs, and the way research institutes access and benefit from UN data. Participants are therefore invited to address the following key issues in their contribution: how do you see the role of science, innovation and research in service of the 2030 Agenda?; how do you reflect the SDGs in your own research activities?; and do you believe that the UN system is properly using scientific research in finding solutions to global problems?.