South Africa Hosts Historic Science20 Meeting Addressing Global Challenges

South Africa has become the first African nation to host the Science20 (S20) meeting, focusing on urgent global challenges and climate change. The event, held from February 24 to 27, 2025, included discussions on policy recommendations for the G20. Leaders emphasized the need for scientific insights to reach policymakers and the importance of addressing interconnected global issues.

South Africa has made history by becoming the first African country to host the Science20 (S20) meeting, an important forum for national science academies from G20 nations. The event took place from February 24 to 27, 2025, and aimed to address urgent global challenges, particularly focusing on vulnerabilities faced by Africa. Leaders from the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) underscored the necessity of confronting climate change alongside developing science-driven policy recommendations for the G20.

The recommendations formulated during this meeting will be publicly released in conjunction with the G20 summit scheduled for September. Thokozani Majozi, President of ASSAf, highlighted, “The S20 deliberates on pertinent issues with the idea of sharing recommendations. But ultimately, these discussions must reach policymakers. If the S20 does not succeed in articulating its position in a way that policymakers can understand and adopt, then, in my opinion, it would have failed.”

In response to the shifting landscape of governmental policies, including the United States’ foreign aid funding freezes and the United Kingdom’s cuts to foreign aid in favor of defense, Majozi emphasized the importance of adaptability in developing solutions suitable for diverse nations. He stated, “We should be alive to the fact that changes happen steeply at times, and we should be able to adapt.”

Francois Engelbrecht of the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand and an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change member informed delegates that climate mitigation strategies should reflect the unique climate risks represented in G20 regions. He asserted, “The science of future climate change is strongly rooted in the laws of physics. Increasingly, we have confidence in the projections that climate models generate, showing the risks we must face in the future.”

Himla Soodyall, Executive Officer at ASSAf, stressed the necessity of recognizing the interconnectedness of global challenges. She argued, “Instead of looking at health, energy, water, and poverty in silos, we must integrate them within the framework of a poly-crisis. This approach allows us to merge problems with mitigation actions in a meaningful way.”

Reflecting on past S20 meetings held in Brazil and India, Soodyall expressed her concerns regarding the inadequate follow-through on previous policy recommendations. To rectify this, she has endeavored to integrate past recommendations into ASSAf’s performance plans and hopes that this year’s outcomes will foster genuine bilateral engagements and regional collaborations.

In conclusion, South Africa’s hosting of the S20 meeting marks a significant milestone for the continent, aimed at tackling pressing global issues such as climate change. By emphasizing cooperation and adaptability among nations, the discussions aim to transform scientific insights into actionable policy recommendations that can effectively address interconnected global challenges. The success of this initiative largely hinges on its ability to influence policymakers and foster international collaboration.

Original Source: www.nature.com