Secretary-General Message to World Forum Calls for Science Grounded in Ethics, Human Rights to Achieve 2030 Agenda

Following is UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ message to the World Science Forum, held in Budapest from 20 to 23 November:

I am pleased to address the World Science Forum on its twentieth anniversary.  Science stands at the heart of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  It can help us meet crucial global challenges like tackling the climate crisis, eradicating poverty, promoting equitable growth and preparing for natural disasters.

I welcome the Forum’s focus this year on Science, Ethics and Responsibility.  The ethical implications of today’s scientific and technological developments, from artificial intelligence to genetic engineering, are so far‑reaching that they can only be addressed through international coordination, cooperation and action.

To move forward on our path to sustainable development, we must combine scientific progress with responsible research and risk management.  This calls for science that is inclusive, transparent and grounded in ethics and human rights.

Over the past 20 years, the World Science Forum has become a leading platform for scientific diplomacy, highlighting the most pressing challenges of our time and developing solutions to address them.  I congratulate you on your success and count on you to promote science for peace, prosperity and human rights for all, on a healthy planet.