Building trust in science requires open science, says Dr Lidia Brito, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences
The upcoming 2024 World Science Forum (WSF) in Budapest, with its theme of “The science and policy interface at the time of global transformations”, will bring together top thinkers in the science and science policy landscapes. Dr Lidia Brito, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, will be playing a key role at this year’s WSF, opening and moderating a whole host of panels. She was kind enough to give us her thoughts on it via an email interview before the start of the event.
WSF: In your view, what are the most important topics for this year's World Science Forum?
Dr Lidia Brito: From UNESCO’s perspective, the 2024 World Science Forum’s main theme “The science and policy interface at the time of global transformations” couldn’t be more relevant and more timely.
With most Sustainable Development Goals seriously off track, a key topic for the Forum will be a critical reflection on how we can transform our science systems to better address society's needs in a rapidly changing world. We will explore ways to improve how scientific knowledge is produced, shared and communicated, ensuring that everyone better understands our shared challenges and is well-informed about their economic, social and environmental implications. The aim is to ensure that science plays a key role in decision-making and everyday choices.
Considering the growing geopolitical risks across all regions, another key topic for this year’s WSF is the use of scientific and technological collaborations as tools to improve relations between nations. This is also one of the cornerstones of the Pact for the Future, adopted during the 2024 UN Summit of the Future, and strongly resonates with UNESCO’s core mission of promoting peace through education, science and culture.
This year marks the start of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, led by UNESCO and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. We hope that a strong connection between the WSF and the Decade will be established to take stock of progress made and to support the global efforts to harness science for sustainable development and a safe and prosperous future for all.
WSF: Given your many years in public policy, how do you think politics and science can be brought closer together?
Dr Brito: I believe that bridging the gap between science and policy and making decisions based on scientific evidence is one of the most crucial challenges we face today. Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand how effective science-policy dialogue can drive transformative solutions to complex issues from global to local levels. I have also seen how the disconnect between scientific knowledge and policymaking can lead to detrimental economic, social and environmental impacts hampering sustainable development and the wellbeing of communities.
A critical starting point in bridging the science-policy gap is public trust in science. That trust is built when access to science is expanded and a broad range of societal actors beyond the traditional scientific community effectively and meaningfully engage with science. I see the growing work of UNESCO and its Member States in promoting open science globally as an important step in the right direction.
To effectively channel the growing demand for evidence-based solutions, nations need robust institutional mechanisms. These include strengthening scientific advisory systems and creating formal channels for scientific input into policy processes. These can be strengthened through the co-production of knowledge and through co-design and co-creation approaches, where policymakers help to shape and answer research questions and scientists understand policy constraints, which helps align scientific endeavors with policy objectives. In this context, UNESCO is fostering knowledge exchange and sharing best practices by strengthening international dialogue among chief scientific advisors to governments and advancing science diplomacy frameworks that integrate global scientific collaboration with diplomatic efforts to address common challenges.
WSF: What can be done to close the gender gap in scientific careers? What changes can be made to work environments to help women feel that they can excel in their given fields?
Dr Brito: As highlighted in UNESCO Call to Action: Closing the Gender Gap in Science, bridging the gender gap in scientific careers requires improving workplace cultures and dismantling systemic barriers. UNESCO’s approach focuses on identifying and supporting policies that promote gender equality in science, including measures to improve work-life balance, fighting all forms of harassment and actively supporting women's professional growth.
Key measures include collecting and reporting gender-disaggregated data at all management levels to identify disparities, providing open-access skills training, and fostering mentorship and networking opportunities. Investments in regular gender-disaggregated data collection are crucial to monitor progress and inform future policies.
In addition to institutional and workplace reforms, there is an urgent need for all stakeholders to take action to bring about change at the societal level. For instance, UNESCO has been working on initiatives to increase the visibility of women scientists as role models in the media and school textbooks, for example, challenging outdated gender stereotypes, inspiring future generations, and fostering a culture of equal opportunity from an early age. Our UNESCO-L’Oreal For Women in Science programmes have raised the visibility of and celebrated over 4,300 female scientists across the world’s regions and disciplines and over career stages. But much more needs to be done, and the time to act is now.
WSF: How do we deal with the public's distrust of elites and, unfortunately, scientists?
Dr Brito: Trust in science needs to be built and nurtured over time based on the core principles of engagement, transparency, respect and mutual benefit. It also needs to be addressed in the appropriate contexts.
Building trust in science requires open science, education and outreach. As agreed by 194 Member States who have now adopted the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, scientific knowledge being freely accessible, transparent and inclusive is enabled by open science, which breaks down the barriers between scientists and the public, and builds a shared sense of ownership and trust. This inclusivity also allows more people to understand, contribute to, and benefit from scientific progress.
However, openness alone is not enough. We must also ensure that individuals have the tools to interpret and engage with scientific information by promoting scientific literacy. This empowers the public to critically evaluate the information they encounter, make informed decisions and differentiate between evidence-informed conclusions and misinformation.
The UN International Decade of Science for Sustainable Development 2024–2033 that UNESCO is leading with the active participation of a broad range of stakeholders across the world provides a unique opportunity to showcase how science can be a powerful tool for building a better future for everyone.