Summary
The Global Science, Technology and Innovation Conference (G-STIC) 2017 opened on Monday morning with a high-level plenary session and welcoming addresses by the co-hosts.
Dirk Fransaer, VITO, emphasised the G-STIC’s focus on how technology can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He highlighted the importance of integrated technologies that contribute to solving more than one problem at the same time.
Ajay Mathur, TERI, stressed the importance of dialogue involving the technology and innovation communities as well as policymakers and civil society.
Ambuj Sagar, Indian Institute of Technology, highlighted the importance of forming a community of individuals across disciplines and countries working to advance technological innovation and implementation.
Surendra Shresta, Asian Institute of Technology, expressed hope that innovative technologies would serve as “the glue” between the private and public sectors to enable achievement of the SDGs.
Kennedy Orwa, African Centre for Technology Studies, emphasized that G-STIC 2017 comes at “a critical and timely moment” by pointing to ways to scale up technological innovations and taking up the challenge of linking with policymakers who can facilitate the fast adoption of these technologies.
The welcoming addresses were followed by opening remarks by several invited speakers.
In the afternoon, participants convened in breakout sessions to consider thematic clusters on: agroecology for sustainable food systems; circular economy and the role of industry; urban electric mobility; urban design and sustainable building; smart water solutions; waste water as a resource; as well as a joint session on energy positive communities and sustainable technology and development. Topical sessions were also held on ICT as enabling technology and carbon dioxide (CO2) as a resource.
In the evening, a plenary session took place to consider the chairperson's summaries and key findings of the G-STIC 2017, especially from the youth perspective.
The day ended with with a closing keynote speech by Ad Lansink, a former Dutch politician and the father of waste hierarchy, based on his book "The Ladder of Lansink" (1979).
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage and a summary report from G-STIC 2017, which is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB+ | Herman Njoroge Chege
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High-Level Plenary Opening Session
View of the Panel (L-R): Dirk Fransaer, VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research); Ajay Mathur, Director General, The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI); Ambuj Sagar, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi; Surendra Shrestha, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT); and Kennedy Orwa, African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)
Dirk Fransaer, VITO
Elioda Tumwesigye, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uganda
Her Royal Highness Mona Al-Said, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
A section of the audience during the opening plenary session
Jan Staman, Staman Consultancy, moderates the Plenary
U. P. Singh, National Mission for Clean Ganga - Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, India
Li Yong, Director General, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
A panoramic view of the delegates networking area
Participants register for the G-STIC Conference 2017
Thematic Clusters and Topical Sessions
Malcolm Johnson, ITU, presenting during the session on ICT as an Enabling Technology
Quentin de Hults, BASF Group, presenting during the Urban Design and Sustainable Building session
Participants during the joint session on energy positive communities and sustainable technology and development
Inge Genné, VITO, speaks at the Smart Water thematic session
Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, UN-Habitat, gives the keynote presentation at the Urban Electric Mobility thematic session
Manuel Mattiat, UNIDO, speaks at the energy positive communities topical session
Parviz Koohafkan, World Agricultural Heritage Foundation, speaks at the session on Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems
Karl Vrancken, VITO, speaks at the Circular Economy session
Sophie Wilmet, European Chemical Industry Council, speaks at the CO2 as a resource topical session
Glen Daigger, University of Michigan, speaks at the session on Waste Water as a Resource
Around the Venue
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Specific funding for coverage of G-STIC 2017 has been provided by VITO
G-STIC 2017 Resources
IISD ENB/ENB+ Meeting Coverage
- COP 22 Low-Emissions Solutions Conference, 14-16 November 2016, Marrakech, Morocco
- Marrakech Climate Change Conference - November 2016, 7-18 November 2016, Marrakech, Morocco
- 2016 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2016) - Ensuring that No One is Left Behind, 11-20 July 2016, UN headquarters, New York
Additional IISD Resources
- SDG - A Mailing List for News on Sustainable Development Policy
- SDG Knowledge Hub - An online resource center for news and commentary regarding the implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Linkages Update - Bi-weekly International Environment and Sustainable Development News
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