During its 30th General Assembly, the International Council for Science (ICSU) endorsed new initiatives addressing sustainability, urban health and wellbeing, and elected its new officers and members, including the next ICSU President.
5 October 2011: The International Council for Science (ICSU) concluded its 30th General Assembly with the endorsement of, inter alia, new initiatives addressing sustainability, and urban health and wellbeing.
The ICSU General Assembly, Associated Meetings and Related Events were held from 24 September-1 October 2011, in Rome, Italy. The ICSU membership made a number of decisions, including endorsement of the two new initiatives and revision of the Principle of Universality.
The first new initiative is the Earth System Sustainability Initiative (ESSI), which aims to bring together different scientific disciplines and societal stakeholders to address five “Grand Challenges” for sustainability: forecasting; observing; confining; responding; and innovating. The main focus of the ESSI will be on mitigation, adaptation and new pathways to sustainable development.
The second new initiative, urban health and wellbeing, aims to bring different disciplines together to address common urban problems and generate practical knowledge that can be used by local decision makers.
The Assembly also endorsed re-wording for the Principle of Universality (ICSU Statute 5), which previously focused on the freedoms or rights of scientists. The new wording introduces explicit reference to responsibilities with regard to the conduct and communication of science. In addition, at the end of the Assembly, the new officers and members of the Executive Board, including the ICSU President, were elected for the next three years. [ICSU Press Release]