13 December 2023

13 December 2023 A joint statement by the International Science Council (ISC) and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) on threats to the autonomy of academies of science as mechanisms for science advice Merit-based scholarly academies of sciences, medicine and engineering are fundamental components of national and international advisory systems for governments, public interest organizations, and the. [...] However, as two global science organizations that support an active and engaged role for national academies in science diplomacy, the ISC and IAP are deeply concerned by the global trend of increasing state interference in the autonomy of national academies. [...] State pressure on the autonomy of academies – and their individual members – risks compromising the ability of academies to inform on important scientific issues affecting humanity and the planet, to provide valid and ethically sound science policy advice, and to develop rigorous research agendas. [...] The IAP and ISC urge all governments to uphold the principles of freedom and responsibility in science by protecting the autonomy of their national academies, including through the adoption of legal frameworks to safeguard against state, industrial and commercial and other interference. [...] The IAP is an observer organization to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Belmont Forum and the ISC, and works closely with the WHO.