The fifth meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary-General (UN-SAB) will be generously hosted by Italy in Trieste, on 24 and 25 May 2016. At the request of the UN Secretary-General, the Secretariat of the Board is hosted by UNESCO.
The objectives of the meeting are to finalize the Board's recommendations to the UN Secretary-General and to the UN system regarding:
- Climate change and climate-induced risks
- Indigenous and local knowledge and science
- Science and the 2030 Agenda for Development
- Food security and health, and
- The future of scientific advice to the UN Secretary General and the UN.
At the meeting the UN-SAB will also consider the zero draft of the Board's comprehensive report to the UN Secretary-General.
The Scientific Advisory Board was created in 2013 at the request of the UN Secretary-General to further inform the debate on sustainable development. The Board is composed of 26 eminent scientists representing all regions and many scientific disciplines relevant for sustainable development: the engineering, political and natural sciences are represented as well as for example oceanic, climate and biodiversity research.
In addition, all members of the Board have extensive and manifold experience with international scientific cooperation as well as the science-policy-society interface.
Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, is the designated Chair of the Board.