Work Together to Ensure International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development Builds Brighter Future for All, Secretary-General Urges Global Conference

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres' video message to the Global Conference of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, in Paris today:

I send warm greetings to this first Global Conference of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development - and I thank the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for organizing this event.

Right now, just 36 per cent of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets are on track or making progress. With temperatures rising, conflicts deepening and inequalities widening, we must find ways to scale up our efforts.

Science is a powerful accelerator. It generates knowledge and tools that enable nations to prosper, and helps them build resilience against challenges old and new. By closing the science gap within and between countries, we can ensure that all people have access to the benefits of innovation.

At the same time, we must put guardrails in place for artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. And we must foster scientific literacy, to build trust in facts, and ensure evidence-based policymaking.

I urge Governments, academia, civil society and industry to work together to make the Decade of Sciences a success. Science is a bridge between nations, and a pathway to solutions. Let us harness the full spectrum of scientific endeavour to build a brighter future for all.