Research at forefront of global race for sustainable development

Abstract

Most countries, regardless of their level of income, now see research and innovation as key to fostering sustainable economic growth and furthering their development. This is one of the conclusions of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Science Report: towards 2030, launched on World Science Day, on 10 November. The report is published every five years. “In the wake of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals to 2030 by the UN General Assembly, the UNESCO Science Report clearly shows that research is both a motor for economic development and a cornerstone in the construction of societies that are more sustainable and more respectful of the planet, ” said UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova. The report’s first lesson is that, despite the economic crisis that hit industrialised countries in 2008, gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) increased globally by 31% between 2007 and 2013, rising from US$1,132 billion in 2007 to US$1 478 billion in 2013.

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