International Council for Science (ICSU)

The International Council for Science is a non-governmental organization representing the international science community. The membership included both national science academies (103 members) and international scientific unions (27 members). The combined expertise from these two groups of scientific organizations provides a wide spectrum of scientific expertise enabling ICSU to address major international, interdisciplinary issues, beyond the scope of the individual organizations. ICSU builds upon this scientific expertise in a number of ways. It initiates, designs and coordinates major international, interdisciplinary research programmes, particularly in the areas of global environmental change. It also establishes policy and advisory committees to address important matters of common concern to scientists, such as education and capacity building in science, access to data, or science in developing countries. ICSU acts as a focus for the exchange of ideas, communication of scientific information and the development of scientific standards and networks. Because ICSU is in contact with hundreds of thousands of scientists worldwide, it is often called upon to represent the world scientific community.

ICSU's Mission
In order to strengthen international science for the benefit of society, ICSU mobilizes the knowledge and resources of the international science community to:
· Identify and address major issues of importance to science and society.
· Facilitate interaction amongst scientists across all disciplines and from all countries.
· Promote the participation of all scientists-regardless of race, citizenship, language, political stance, or gender-in the international scientific endeavour.
· Provide independent, authoritative advice to stimulate constructive dialogue between the scientific community and governments, civil society, and the private sector.

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International Council for Science 5 rue Auguste Vacquerie, 75016 Paris, France 
Tel.: 33 (0) 1 45 25 03 29 Fax: 33 (0) 1 42 88 94 31 E-mail: secretariat@icsu.org  http://www.icsu.org