Issues of mutual interest in science and technology will be discussed by the chief science advisers of G20 nations at the Chief Science Advisers Roundtable (CSAR) at Ramnagar in Nainital district during March 28-30. Addressing the media in the national Capital, principal scientific adviser to the Government of India, Ajay Kumar Sood said, “The chief science advisers (or their equivalents) are uniquely positioned in the overall governance framework to drive the policy choices by providing evidence-driven science advice. The overarching and cross-cutting nature of the science advice mechanism enables us to build synergy among various sectors, and as a catalytic tool to achieve solutions to some of the complex, multidimensional and transdisciplinary issues. With this understanding and motivation, G20-CSAR is conceptualised as an initiative under India’s G20 presidency to drive the agenda for inclusive global science advice.”
Scientific secretary at the office of principal scientific adviser to the Government of India, Parvinder Maini said that opportunities in One Health for better disease control and pandemic preparedness, synergising global efforts to expand the access to scholarly scientific knowledge, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in science and technology along with an institutional mechanism for inclusive, continuous and action-oriented global science and technology policy dialogue will be discussed during the G20 CSAR.
G20 secretariat joint secretary Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur said that CSAR is a unique initiative happening for the first time. Priorities identified are universal in nature and fall under the rubric of India’s G20 theme which is One World One Family One Future. The outcomes of the CSAR discussion will be shared with the leaders of the G20 countries and will find reflection in the 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit, he added.
