Heal the Earth: Sustainable Development Goals in a

Changing World

E-Conference 25 June – 10 July

On a global scale, the COVID-19 pandemic is currently in focus, but other ongoing problems such as climate change, biodiversity losses, groundwater depletion, pollution and antibiotic resistance, also require collaborative efforts across sectors, disciplines and borders to find and implement solutions. Further global issues reflect inequality in different parts of the world: while many children are still dying of hunger, others are dying of cancer or suffering from asthma. Lifestyle diseases are claiming more lives each year: obesity, for instance, is now a bigger threat to life than wars, terror attacks or car crashes combined. While overall global income inequality has been decreasing, the economic divide within some societies is widening. Issues of food security, widespread accessible energy, clean water, hygiene and health among large sections of the human population are urgent.

We need to act now toward fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Young scientists and researchers from accross the globe are both equipped and committed to help tackle these challenges. The GYA’s first e-Conference – from 25 June to 10 July 2020 – will bring together members and alumni of the Global Young Academy with regional, national and international professionals and stakeholders, to lead evidence-based, interdisciplinary and intergenerational dialogue on the topic “Heal the Earth: Sustainable Development Goals in a Changing World”.

The e-Conference is designed to allow for participants to take part on their own time. If live sessions fit your schedule, join in! If not, you can still be an active participant, by watching keynote and panel talk videos, and answering or asking questions in shared documents.

Access to videos, live sessions and document links works through the Conference Agenda in Whova (on your browser or in the mobile app) here: https://whova.com/portal/webapp/annua6_202006/ (Access by registration only).

Speakers and Themes

Starting on 29 June, inspiring talks by over 20 renowned scientists and science jouranlists, as well as talks by young scientists from the GYA and the Indian National Academy of Sciences, will be released on the e-conference platform. Some of the talks are short greetings, some are theme-related panel talks. These are the external speakers you can look for, whose videos are placed throughout the conference agenda:

K. VijayRaghavan *** Soumya Swaminathan *** Antje Boetius *** Bruce Alberts *** Carlos Manuel Rodriguez *** Daya Reddy *** Diego Golombek *** Eeva Furman *** Howard Alper *** Irene Rizzin *** Jamil Salmi *** Johan Rockström *** John Hildebrand *** Kevin Marsh *** Linda Nordling *** Luiz Davidovich *** Mario Molina *** Mohamed Hassan *** Muhammad Yunus *** Otavio Velho *** Ottmar Edenhofer *** Richard Catlow *** Romain Murenzi *** Ulrike Albrecht *** Volker ter Meulen *** Yuko Harayama *** Flavia Schlegel *** Thelma Krug *** Harini Nagendra *** Ahmed Bawa *** Luis Quevedo *** Anita Krishnamurthi *** Pallava Bagla *** Simon Chaplin *** Josef Settele ***

External guests and partners will join with young scientists from the GYA and from National Young Academies to seek solutions in four panel themes and one pre-Conference workshop.

Highlights

PRE-CONFERENCE

GYA-UNESCO pre-Conference Workshop Open Science from a Global Perspective

25 June, 10:00-13:00 UTC
Keynote presentations by:
Simon Chaplin, Director of Culture and Society, Wellcome Trust & future CEO of Arcadia and
Ana Persic, Chief of Section, Science Policy and Partnerships, UNESCO

 

WEEK 1 – Focus on Health and Environment

Conference Opening: 29 June 2020

LIVE 12:00-13:00 UTC: Keynote talk by K.VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of Inida
VIDEO: Keynote talk by Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director General of Programmes, World Health Organization

Beyond Boundaries: Covid19 and Global Health: 30 June – 2 July 2020

LIVE: 30 June 12:00-13:00 UTC: Panel launch
ASYNCHRONOUS: watch the panel videos, discuss on shared documents
LIVE: 2 July 12:00-13:30: Wrap-up panel discussion

Diminishing Resources and Environmental Sustainability: 1 – 3 July 2020

LIVE: 1 July 12:00-13:00 UTC: Panel launch
ASYNCHRONOUS: watch the panel videos, discuss on shared documents (links for both located in agenda)
LIVE: 3 July 12:00-13:30: Wrap-up panel discussion

 

WEEK 2 – Focus on Research Environment and Science Communication

Higher Education Institutions Teaching and Research: All in different boats but in the same storm: 6 – 8 July 2020

ASYNCHRONOUS: watch the panel videos, discuss on shared documents (links for both located in agenda)

Engagement at Large: Communicating Science to and with the Public: 7 – 9 July 2020

LIVE: 7 July 12:00-13:00 UTC: Panel launch
ASYNCHRONOUS: watch the panel videos, discuss on shared documents (links for both located in agenda)
LIVE: 9 July 12:00-13:30: Wrap-up panel discussion