UNESCO convenes scientific community for global conference on science for sustainable development

• 2026 IDSSD Global Conference “Science in Action: Charting a Sustainable and Equitable Future for All”
• 15 - 17 July 2026
• UNESCO Headquarters, Paris and hybrid.

• Accreditation: click here to register.

Time is running out to address the pressing challenges of climate change, harnessing the knowledge we need and training the next generation of scientists. The International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, led by UNESCO, was created precisely to close this gap between science and policy. This Global Conference is the Decade's first major stocktaking moment, and an opportunity to ensure science and policy are moving in the same direction.

Several landmark publications will be launched during the conference. The IDSSD Global Report shows that the past two years the global scientific community has rallied nearly 400 endorsed initiatives from 79 countries and mobilised USD 50 million to support sciences for sustainable development. Meanwhile, the Open Science Outlook will reveal how 81 governments have been implementing UNESCO's Recommendation on Open Science.

A media briefing will be held on 15 July at 13:00 to share these results, led by Amal Kasry, UNESCO's head of Basic Sciences and lead organiser of the conference. This will also allow journalists to discover the Conference themes which will include:

• Closing the global science divides: gender, North-South and public vs private

• AI, quantum science, and the governance of emerging technologies

• Leveraging science to rescue the SDGs

• Open science policy: from commitment to implementation

On the sidelines of the conference, UNESCO and the AXA Foundation for Human Progress will launch Next Generations, a photo exhibition showcasing eleven outstanding young researchers and the stories behind their groundbreaking work. A timely reminder that the scientists driving the next decade of discovery are already at work.

The IDSSD Global Conference will be a pivotal moment in the global effort to ensure that science works for sustainable development, while shaping how governments fund science, govern emerging technologies, and translate scientific knowledge into policy over the coming years.