Latest news

Workshop on the Description of Nanomaterials Feb 16, 2012

The International Council for Science (ICSU), and CODATA, the ICSU Committee on Data for Science and Technology, are sponsoring a two-day round-table workshop on 23 and 24 February 2012 designed to bring together international scientific experts from diverse fields to review the present status of description systems for nanomaterials and to bring the views of the scientific community to the attention of groups actively engaged in developing standardized nanomaterials descriptions.

SCAR Open Science Conference deadline extended Feb 17, 2012

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) has extended the abstract submission deadline for the Open Science Conference to 1 March 2012.

ICSU on Twitter and Facebook Feb 14, 2012

ICSU is now active on Twitter and Facebook. We're looking forward to connect with you on these platforms.

ICSU’s new Executive Director appointed Jan 06, 2012

The International Council for Science welcomes Dr. Steven Wilson as Executive Director. Dr. Wilson will provide important leadership as ICSU seeks to implement its newly approved second Strategic Plan 2012–2017.

Advisory Note on access to shared data to reduce global inequality Feb 15, 2012

A recent Advisory Note of the ICSU Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the conduct of Science (CFRS) aims to help scientists in developing countries contribute effectively to scientific progress and reduce the brain drain of scientists from developing to developed countries.

International Polar Year Conference: early bird registration Feb 13, 2012

The International Polar Year (IPY) 2012 From Knowledge to Action Conference features the latest polar research results from global leaders in Arctic and Antarctic science. Early bird registration until 29 February 2012.

Report now available: ICSU-UNESCO Regional Science and Technology workshops Jan 27, 2012

The synthesis report from the ICSU-UNESCO Rio+20 Regional Science and Technology workshops is now available, giving overarching and regional recommendations for Rio+20.

World Data System names its new Executive Director Jan 19, 2012

Mustapha Mokrane has been appointed as Executive Director of WDS and Head of its newly established International Programme Office.

Towards a framework for Future Earth Jan 17, 2012

The second meeting of the Transition Team, the committee designing ‘Future Earth – research for global sustainability’, was held on 9-11 December 2011 in San Francisco. As outlined in the meeting summary, further progress was achieved in defining a conceptual framework, a research strategy and a governance for Future Earth.

“Future Earth” is born Dec 13, 2011

“Future Earth – research for global sustainability” will be the name of the new ten-year initiative on Earth system research for global sustainability being established through the partnership of ICSU, ISSC, the Belmont Forum, UNESCO, UNEP and UNU, with WMO as observer.

ICSU Foresight Analysis report appears Dec 10, 2011

The first of two reports describing the ICSU Foresight Analysis is now available. Published in electronic form only, Report 1 describes the analysis carried out under Phases 1 and 2 of a process that has engaged the ICSU community in an important long-term planning exercise—exploring the future of international science in 20 years’ time.

Declaration of the Budapest World Science Forum 2011 Dec 02, 2011

The recently held Fifth World Science Forum 2011 ‘on a New Era of Global Science’, hosted in Budapest on 17-19 November 2011 by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, adopted a Declaration at its concluding session.

ICSU Foresight Analysis featured in Nature Nov 29, 2011

An article in a recent issue of Nature (Vol. 479, 24 November 2011) reflects on the scenarios developed as part of the ICSU Foresight process and suggests the need for better engagement between disciplines and with the public.

Planning moves ahead on ESSI Nov 23, 2011

The Earth System Sustainability Initiative (ESSI) will provide a new overarching framework for global environmental change research - and be expected to unify or strategically integrate relevant components of the existing ICSU-sponsored Global Environmental Change Programmes.

ICSU’s new Strategic Plan published Nov 23, 2011

Approved by the 30th General Assembly in Rome, the full text of the ICSU Strategic Plan II, 2012-2017 is now available.

Rio+20 policy briefs released by the GEC Programmes Nov 23, 2011

The first five Rio+20 policy briefs have been released by the Global Environmental Change (GEC) programmes. The policy briefs specifically target policy-makers in the Rio+20 process, aiming to give them access to the latest scientific thinking on sustainable development.

Videos of the 30th General Assembly Nov 22, 2011

Video recordings of the Presidential speeches and lectures by invited guests to the 30th ICSU General Assembly in Rome are now available.

ICSU-UNESCO Regional Science and Technology Workshops for Rio+20 Nov 17, 2011

Between April and October 2011, ICSU and UNESCO held five Rio+20 regional science and technology workshops: for Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, the Arab States, and Europe.

Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) conference concludes Nov 08, 2011

The IRDR kick-off conference devoted to Disaster Risk: Integrating Science and Practice came to a successful end on Wednesday 2 November in Beijing.