President's Comments - June 8, 2005

For the Joint G8+ Science Academies' Statements

June 8, 2005

 In advance of the G8 Summit held in Gleneagles, Scotland, UK, from July 6 to 8, the Science Council of Japan, jointly with the national academies of sciences of the Group of Eight member nations and other nations concerned, issued two joint statements: “Joint science academies’statement: Global response to climate change” and “Joint science academies’statement: Science and technology for African development.” On the same day, the Council handed the two statements to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

 The Science Council of Japan has on many occasions made proposals and recommendations jointly with the national academies of sciences of various countries. The two statements issued by the Council in June summarize the views of scientists in various countries regarding environmental concerns and the African development - the two topics that will be discussed in this year’s G8 Summit. The joint statements are thus particularly timely and of strategic importance. Furthermore, this is the first time that the national academies of all G8 member nations and those of major nations other than the Group of Eight - Brazil, China, and India - as well as the Network of African Science Academies have issued joint statements prior to a G8 Summit.

In the joint statements, we appeal to the G8 heads of state and other world leaders to tackle the issues at hand by adopting the following measures: “Joint science academies' statement: Global response to climate change”
- Acknowledge the threat of climate change, and launch an international study to explore scientifically informed targets.
- Identify cost-effective steps that can be taken now, and work with developing nations enabling them to develop solutions.
- Show leadership in developing and deploying clean energy technologies and share this knowledge with all other nations.

“Joint science academies' statement: Science and technology for African development”
- Recognise that science, technology and innovation underpin sustainability in all aspects of development in Africa, and explicitly build the capacity into international assistance programmes.
- Recognise that investment in a country’s own science capabilities, infrastructure for training and attention at all levels of education are essential to the successful use of science to develop and exploit scientific and technological solutions, and encourage the transfer and sharing of scientific, technological and innovation excellence.
- Continue to keep this issue on the G8 agenda in forthcoming years.

 The Science Council of Japan will continue to strive to help solve various problems facing the world today by maintaining close ties with national academies of sciences in various countries and cooperating with scientists and academic research organizations at home and abroad.

by Kiyoshi Kurokawa, President of the Science Council of Japan