ICSU ROLAC: Report on a Visit to Varadero, Cuba

Walter Spiess

Purpose of the Visit

1. Participation in a Workshop on Future Earth organised by the International Council for Science Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ICSU ROLAC) and International Scientific Unions active in Latin America and the Caribbean; and

2. Discussion with representatives of the ICSU Bio-Cluster Unions of various problems.

Overall Impression and Recommendations

The Workshop was organised to improve the interdisciplinary collaboration between the International Scientific Unions, and between Unions and ICSU ROLAC; furthermore, ways to raise the visibility of ICSU/ROLAC and individual Unions in LAC should be explored.

The anticipated goal was not fully achieved; tangible results were the various ideas and recommendations regarding an improved cooperation between the individual partners. Those ideas and recommendations are basically not new, they lack, however, a broad implementation.

From IUFoST’s point of view it would be certainly important to improve its integration into the ICSU community through an active participation in ICSU Projects, for example:

• Future Earth project (necessary would be a detailed analysis of the project and an identification of themes where IUFoST can play an active role).

• Urban Health and Wellbeing project (again after a detailed analysis of the project and an identification of themes where IUFoST can play an active role).

• Integration in ICSU Nanotechnology activities.

• Development of projects which would allow for a close cooperation with related Unions.

• Continue to organise Symposia together with other Unions in the frame of the IUFoST World Congresses.

• Support of educational efforts in the ROLAC area, especially on topics such as food safety.

• Expansion of symposia / workshops / technical in IUFoST organised conferences and meetings.

• Encourage and support IUFoST-regional organisations to seek closer contacts with the ICSU ROLAC.

• IUFoST should try to be involved in the Expo 2015 “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”.

In meetings with representatives of other Unions alongside the ROLAC Workshop the question how to improve Union activities was discussed; a recommendation relevant for IUFoST was to consider the organisation of an (Senior/Honorary-) Advisory-Board rooted in the constitution.

Workshop on Future Earth

The Workshop was organised to improve the interdisciplinary collaboration between the International Scientific Unions, and between Unions and ICSU ROLAC. The focus of the workshop was on issues of special interest to the area and Union activities in the area. It was intended that the Future Earth Project and the Regional Research Collaboration should be the nucleus of the discussions and that concrete ideas and plans on interdisciplinary cooperation could be developed. It can be stated that these aims were not achieved; concrete ideas were not discussed even in a rudimentary way, mainly because the tabled topics were of a very general nature and did not provide a basis for a discussion of relevant scientific issues.

The Workshop was opened by José Franco , President, Mexican Academy of Sciences; Steven Wilson,  Executive Director, ICSU; and Manuel Limonta, Director, ICSU ROLAC. In the frame of a general discussion and the introduction of the Workshop topics Steve Wilson presented a synopsis of ongoing ICSU activities, including:

• management of ongoing projects on Disaster, Ecosystems and Society;

• planning the Future Earth and Urban Health and Wellbeing projects;

• development of strategies for projects on Energy, Geo Engineering, New Horizons, etc;

• assessment of Climate Change, Loss of Biodiversity;

• data / information metrics and open access; and

• participation in Expo 2015 “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”.

As permanently ongoing efforts the promotion of young scientists and the inclusion of young scientists into ICSU / Union affairs were considered as important tasks to make ICSU and the individual Unions more visible. In this context it was also mentioned that more experienced and highly qualified scientists should be involved into the work of ICSU and also the individual Unions. The involvement of senior scientists in ICSU and Union affairs would – according to participants  ̶  help to close the gap between science and politics.

The central topic of the Workshop on the Future Earth project was introduced by Steven Wilson and Manuel Limonta who offered some explanations regarding the project. The information presented did however not go beyond the information presented in the internet on Future Earth (http://www.icsu.org/future-earth). In the discussion it was stressed that the Future Earth project should provide knowledge regarding the strategies of how the global society will feed a growing population within limited boundary conditions and the transition into a sustainable low carbon society.

From the many relevant themes of the Future Earth project, including Dynamic Planet, Global Development, Stewardship of Resources, and Transformation towards Sustainability, ROLAC had selected two topics as priority themes for its activities: Energy, and Disaster Management.

After an intervention of the IUFoST representatives Food Security  was added to the Disaster Theme Group as a sub-theme.

The actual work of the Workshop was organised in three breakout groups which met in different compositions three times. In round one the central question was, what can be done to increase the visibility of the Future Earth project within the scientific community and in the society especially in the LAC? Further questions asked for a better integration of Unions in the work of ICSU/ ROLAC, specific themes in which Unions in the area are interested and the organisation of a cross-cutting collaboration.

Summary Breakout Session One

• The Unions should produce more releases (print-media/radio/TV) on various subjects and on various levels which are of interest to colleagues from related disciplines, students and journalists.

• ICSU / ROs should develop a Website “Friends of Future Earth”.

• Unions / National ICSU members should organise workshops on Future Earth themes.

• ICSU / Unions / National ICSU members should develop / circulate newsletters for interested institutions / scientists to establish and maintain close contact to the Future Earth project but also relevant UN projects.

• Nominate Future Earth liaison persons in each Union.

• Ask for input from scientists not directly involved in the Future Earth project.

From IUFoST’s point of view it would be important:

• To analyse the Future Earth project in detail and identify themes where IUFoST can play an active role.

• It should be studied how modern food production (GMO) relates to the Future Earth project also in a wider sense.

• Furthermore, possible impacts of modern processing technologies (e.g. nanotechnology) on the environment and human health should be studied in cooperative projects with other Unions and introduced into public discussion.

In round two the areas to discuss were regional interdisciplinary cooperation and interaction between Unions.

Summary Breakout Session Two

• ICSU should support Unions in interacting with other international organisations through in-depth information on science related activities of international organisations.

• ICSU should support mutual understanding of Unions and encourage direct contacts amongst Unions. To support ICSU in this endeavour each Union should prepare a short summary of its ongoing activities. The information provided in this effort should be compiled in a cross-cutting map

• ICSU and individual Unions should organise fellowship programs which would allow for the exchange of lecturers (at related faculties), research fellows and students.

• Speakers / representatives of other Unions should be integrated in world / local Congresses / Workshops.

• In planning scientific research programs by individual Unions multifaceted approaches should be taken by involving other Unions (which basically requires a good understanding of other Unions activities).

• To improve cohesion between ROs especially ROLAC, individual Unions should nominate liaison persons.

From IUFoST’s point of view it seems important that:

• Programs related to Biodiversity are being developed or supported possibly with other Unions.

• Bio-Unions should be encouraged to develop programs / conferences / projects comprising food related elements, IUFoST should propose relevant themes.

In round three problems so far not being considered should have been raised and discussed. The discussions in the individual breakout groups however did not touch on new subjects, in principle it was argued how the individual suggestions developed in the previous group meetings could be realised.

• In order to increase the visibility of ROLAC it was suggested that – as already suggested  ̶  papers in a language understandable for laypersons should be produced on Energy, Disaster-Management, Environment and Food Production, Health and Nutrition and other related topics.

• Support of educational efforts -- on all levels in science and more specific in areas which are relevant for the LAC area -- by ROLAC and individual Unions were also considered as improving the visibility of ROLAC and the Unions.

In a final round of discussions it was mentioned that the preparation of the Workshop was not really optimal (late distribution of agenda, discussion items not precisely defined), the overall atmosphere of the Workshop was however characterised as friendly and tolerant, with a well balanced composition of the participants.

The ICSU ROLAC Workshop was organised in an ‘all inclusive hotel’, with almost no chance to escape in the Workshop breaks and evenings providing a good chance for the participants to meet also for private discussions. Representatives of the Unions who did know each other from various previous Union meetings discussed in detail the question How can we organise some more positive activities in our Unions?. The representatives of Unions, e.g. IUPAC, IUPAP, the mathematical Union, etc. pointed to their long history which allowed for the development of a large number of committees / subcommittees and taskforces in which over country borders a lot of activities are organised; interestingly these Unions have sufficient funds which are available to support any activity. Other Unions have organised groups which are open to all interested colleagues / scientists; the members of those groups are informed in a permanent way about Union activities. One example is the ‘Friends of IUBMB’ (http://www.iubmb.org/index.php?id=301 ) which obviously has about 10 000 members. Other Unions have Honorary / Senior Advisory Boards which are rooted in the constitution, as for example also IUBMB.

From IUFoST’s point of view: The idea of installing an advisory body/working party/study unit is obviously a possibility to broaden the operational basis of the Union. Over the years a rather large group of food scientist/colleagues have demonstrated their dedication to the Food Science Community and a large number is still interest to serve the Union in one way or the other. Under the present structure it is not possible to provide the most distinguished, dedicated and active supporters with an official status which certainly would be a recognition of their efforts and their involvement in Union affairs.

Acknowledgement    

Participation in the ICSU ROLAC Workshop in Varadero has been made possible through a grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) which is highly appreciated.

Professor Walter E.L. Spiess is President of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST, 2012-14) and a Past President of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST, 1999-2003); contact address is c/o Karlsruhe Institut für Technologie (KIT), Institut für Bio- und Lebensmitteltechnik, Kaiserstrasse 12, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany; e-walter.spiess@partner.kit.edu