Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Evolution
Dr. Arijit Das
January 8, 2025
Sustainable evolution refers to a transformative process that advances the principles of sustainability. Science is essential for a sustainable future. Science seeks to enhance comprehension of the world. Science enables the continual expansion and revision of our knowledge, grounded in peer-reviewed evidence. The cognitive processes associated with scientific discovery are essential for mental development, comprehending the world, and making sustainable decisions. Scientific advancements address numerous challenges confronting nations globally today. Advancements in Science and Technology are crucial for attaining sustainable development. Innovation, science, and technology are fundamental drivers of inclusive and sustainable development.
Because technological decisions can have detrimental effects on the social as well as environmental aspects of sustainable development, science, technology, as well as innovation initiatives must encompass all aspects of sustainable development, encompassing the social,economic, as well as environmental parts, along with their interrelationships. Knowledge systems are comprehensively developed to encompass institutional, social, as well as cultural contexts in which they function.
Building science, technology, and innovation capabilities is a basic function of the government, which includes encouraging the creation of mechanisms that will support the national level of knowledge acquisition, development, and dissemination. This covers the creation and execution of industrial policies that are suitable for the country as well as the advancement of education, research, development, and technology distribution.Furthermore, the international community must assess the degree to which international trade and investment rules can ensure that national governments have sufficient policy latitude in this regard.The restrictions imposed by the Agreement on TRIMS (Trade-Related Investment Measures) and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) should be acknowledged in particular. These restrictions pertain to the use of policy instruments like export performance, domestic content, and government procurement standards, which have been extensively utilized by both developed and successful industrializers in the developing world.
The way that research and development is now promoted, together with the related intellectual property rights, results in underfunding of social priorities and limits access to the advantages of innovation. It is important to give careful thought to alternative ways of funding and promoting international research and innovation.As global public goods, knowledge, research, and technology that directly impact small rural producers and the satisfaction of basic human needs as well as those that address environmental issues, particularly those associated with climate change, should be freely available to everyone. Adapting to climate change will be a significant challenge for science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development, particularly in the most vulnerable nations and communities. Therefore, the development of a better knowledge base for comprehending the dynamics of climate change and the innovations and technologies required to address them should be prioritized.
The world is currently facing a sustainability crisis, and while science, technology, and innovation are crucial to finding solutions, it is important to consider the larger picture and the historical and cultural context in which they function.Although the world is facing similar crises, it is important to acknowledge that there are differences both within and between nations. Consequently, knowledge systems must be developed comprehensively to incorporate diverse cultural, historical, social, as well as institutional attributes of nations.
Understanding the relationship between the three pillars of sustainable development is crucial for contributions of science, technology, and innovation to a new paradigm of sustainable development. It acknowledges that environmental degradation harms human well-being and economic development, particularly for the poor and vulnerable segments of society. Social and economic sciences must equally contribute to a strategy that reconciles diminished environmental damage, poverty, and inequality with the promotion of peace and security while enhancing the quality of life and fostering sustainable production and consumption habits.
Science, technology, and innovation are crucial for attaining sustainable development goals (SDGs). The objectives encompass augmenting productivity and instigating a dynamic economic transformation; elevating growth rates and the availability of decent employment while reducing reliance on fossil fuel-based energy; advancing the development of essential medications and enhancing health and medical care; attaining food security via sustainable agricultural practices and boosting agricultural productivity; diminishing laboriousness and enhancing the safety of domestic tasks, and improving reproductive safety. To increase people's capacities and achieve sustainable development, a country must advance its scientific, technological, and innovative capabilities and apply them effectively in economic activities. In addition, science, technology, and innovation contribute to national and international capacities to handle the economy, society, and environment as well as their interrelationships.
Science and technology exert unprecedented effects on society. International scientific collaboration for sustainable development is a crucial instrument in this context. Developing a sustainable future necessitates multidisciplinary collaboration founded on discipline competence. The function of research in sustainable development extends beyond technology transfer and should not be confined to only serving as a tool.
Successful sustainable evolution necessitates the acceptance and collaborative implementation of the concept across all domains of the political sector, society, as well as science.
a.Associate Prof. & HEAD, Department of Chemistry, Bir Bikram Memorial College, India
b.Author, ERIC, US Department of Education
c.Author, Stanford University, US
d.Author, Chemistry Libre Texts, University of California, Davis, US
e.Author, WikiEducator (OER), Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand
f.Author, British Library, London, UK
(Tripurainfo)