UNESCO Science Report 2021

The UNESCO Science Report series was launched in 1993 by the name of World Science Report. Till date, seven editions of this report have been released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

Latest Update: 

• On June 11, 2021, the seventh edition of the report, ‘UNESCO Science Report 2021: The race against time for smarter development’, was published. 
• The report focuses on the need to develop countries of all income levels, prioritizing their transition to digital and ‘green’ economies.

In this article, we shall discuss at length the findings of the UNESCO Science Report 2021 and its objectives and background over the years. The reports released by various National and International Organisations form an integral part of the UPSC Syllabus and candidates must pay attention on the same. 

All government exam aspirants can refer to the List of Reports released by International Organisations along with their objectives in the linked article. 

UNESCO Science Report 2021 [UPSC Notes]:-Download PDF Here

IAS Exam aspirants can also refer to the related links below for exam preparation:

About UNESCO Science Report – A Brief Background

• The UNESCO Science Report monitors trends in science governance worldwide to identify which development path countries are following
• The first report in this series was published in 1993 by the name of World Science Report
• The series was interrupted in 2000 by the decision of UNESCO’s Executive Board to re-examine UNESCO’s policy governing world reports. The Board subsequently decided to launch a series of world reports on cross-cutting themes related to UNESCO’s work
• As a result of which, more reports had been published by the organization and to avoid any gap in the data series, the World Science Report was renamed as UNESCO Science Report
• The last report was released in 2015, ‘UNESCO Science Report: Towards 2030’, and it focussed on the role science will play in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 17 goals were agreed upon in 2015  at the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development that would replace the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000

Visit the linked article and read in detail about the Sustainable Development Goals that all the countries which are members of the UN agreed to work upon for the better future of the world. 

UNESCO Science Report: The race against time for smarter development

• The report was released on June 11, 2021
• The seventh edition in the series explores how countries are using science to realize a digitally and ecologically smart future
• Economies across the world are prioritizing their transition to digital and ‘green’ economies, which comes as a challenge as the clock is ticking for countries to reach their Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
• The report concludes that countries will need to invest more in research and innovation if they are to succeed in their dual digital and green transition
  • More than 30 countries have already raised their research spending since 2014. Despite this progress, eight out of ten countries still devote less than 1% of GDP to research, perpetuating their dependence on foreign technologies
• The report also suggests that global spending on research grew faster than the global economy between 2014 and 2018
• Sustainable Development Goals:
• • Maximum Funding – Of all the SDGs related to economic growth, it is those focusing on industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG9) and sustainable cities and communities (SDG11) which received the most official development assistance between 2000 and 2013, with donors contributing US$ 130 billion and US$ 147 billion, respectively 
  • Minimum Funding – SDGs for responsible consumption and production (SDG12), climate action (SDG13), life below water (SDG14), and life on land (SDG15), received the least donor attention between 2000 and 2013, attracting a cumulative total of less than US$ 25 billion in funding over this period 

UNESCO Science Report 2021: Digitalization Revolution

The establishment of a digital payment system in developing countries will support the emergence of e-commerce and combat tax evasion and corruption but it is also likely to heighten the vulnerability of those employed in the informal economy where cash payments are the norm.

For example – 

• India is a cash economy. After Demonetization in India in the year 2016, the proportion of citizens with a bank account surged from 53% to 80% between 2014 and 2017. 
• In Africa, the digital revolution is being buoyed by consistent growth in mobile phones and digital payment systems. In 2020, Tanzania’s National Data Centre launched the N-Card enabling digital payments. By 2019, 78% of adults in rural Tanzania could reach formal financial services within a radius of 5 km.

Impact on COVID-19 – How Science can play its role?

• The report states that the COVID-19 pandemic has energized knowledge production systems. The pandemic has exacted a heavy human and economic toll but it has also energized knowledge production systems
• A number of countries have deployed robots and drones to help curb the spread of Covid-19
• In October 2020, the World Health Organization reported that Africa accounted for about 13% of 1 000 new or modified existing technologies developed worldwide in response to the pandemic, close to its share of the global population (14%)
• Online payments have become a particularly attractive option in India and elsewhere during the Covid-19 crisis as a means of respecting physical distancing for financial transactions
• Renewable energy was the only energy sector to see growth

Also, read about Coronavirus & Digital Solutions – RSTV:The Big Picture

India’s Status as per UNESCO Science Report 2021

• The Indian Government had launched the Digital India campaign in 2015
• To transform the ecosystem of public services, Blockchain has been extensively integrated within the central government. Know the draft National Strategy on Blockchain 2021 at the linked article.
• The share of Indians with a bank account rose from 53% to 80% between 2014 and 2017. These developments have taken place against a backdrop of sharp growth in access to the Internet, which has fuelled the digital economy, including e-commerce
• The flagship Make in India program has sought to promote investment in manufacturing and related infrastructure, among other things.
• Overall research intensity remains stagnant and the density of scientists and engineers remains one of the lowest among BRICS countries
• The ambitious National Skills Development Mission aims to train about  400 million Indians over 2015-2022
• In 2018, investment in renewable sources exceeded that in fossil fuels
• Air and water pollution remain life-threatening challenges in India. The government is striving for universal electrification and the diffusion of electric and hybrid vehicles

The Way Forward

To succeed in their dual transition, governments will not only need to spend more on Research and Development; they will also need to invest these funds strategically.

Today’s challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, a decline of ocean health, and pandemics are all global. This is why countries must mobilize scientists and researchers from all over the world for development in the field of science.

(Report Information Source: UNESCO Official Report) 

UNESCO Science Report 2021 [UPSC Notes]:-Download PDF Here

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