The climate crisis and environmental degradation are two of the most significant challenges facing humanity as a whole. These challenges will last for decades, but immediate action is needed to address them. Not only is it urgent to preserve ecosystems and the abundant Earth we know it to be, but for the sake of the human species’ survival. In that sense, the Science Culture Construction (SCC) initiated by the Andean Road Countries for Science and Technology (ARCST) and supported China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) together with several collaborators organized and launched the World Green Science Day (WGSD) celebration on December 9th, 2022 to raise awareness of the role that science plays in societies that are peaceful and sustainable. “Green Science for and with Society” was 2022’s theme for World Green Science Day (WGSD).1 It emphasized how the sciences are inclusive and equal and how they help important environmental goals. As we celebrated WGSD, we wanted to get the public involved in open science discussions about current science-related issues. The WGSD focused on important adaptations to mitigate the adverse effects of biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and water calamities. The organizers made an effort to support crucial international scientific collaborations and bring science closer to society. The event discussed contemporary issues that are crucial to the ongoing exchange of information related to human health, the economy, food security, climate, biodiversity conservation, green development, and people’s well-being.
Figure 1. Official Logo of the First Celebration of the World Green Science Day in 2022. Source: Andean Road Countries for Science and Technology (ARCST)
This celebration was one of a series that reached out to schools, universities, the general public, the private sector, and other groups to mobilize open sciences. The goal was to improve our overall knowledge, skills, and resilience related to the engagement of people in climate change action, biodiversity conservation and green development. During the celebration of the WGSD the tool called “Quantum leap to green actions (QLGA)” was launched.2 QLGA was proposed by our international multidisciplinary team to engage the public in a broader sustainability mission. It offers an opportunity to impact society in general and promote commitment to action against climate change, fostering biodiversity conservation and green development. Lastly, during the WGSD celebration, the International Green Science Academy Network (IGSAN) was launched as well.3 IGSAN is a platform that seeks to empower individuals, especially the youth, to lead in the response to biodiversity protection, green development, and environmental challenges facing the globe. By establishing partnerships, we develop, implement and oversee educational programs and workshops that promote environmentally sustainable behaviors among all age groups. IGSAN is the result of the collaboration between different academic institutions across the globe. IGSAN is an initiative of the South-South Biodiversity Science Project (SSBSP)4 and the Green Science Project (GSP)5 to promote biodiversity conservation and green development across the globe. Around two thousand people followed the event online in China. through the live broadcast in Baidu.
Figure 2. The first celebration of the World Green Science Day (WGSD) on December 9th, 2022 was broadcasted on https://live.baidu.com/m/media/pclive/pchome/live.html?type=live&page_from=bjh_pc&room_id=7797470819
The WGSD gathered experts from different countries, including Pakistan, China, Colombia, Mexico, Iran, Bolivia, Benin, France, and Brazil.
Figure 3. National flags of the countries that participated in the first World Green Science Day (WGSD) on December 9th, 2022
WGSD 2022 was focused on:
- The scientific community, including universities and, in particular, departments involved in environmental sciences, biology, ecology, physical geography, botany, zoology, climatology, meteorology, and the management of natural resources.
- The educational community, particularly universities and schools, who are interested in converting their own buildings into places that are friendly to the environment.
- The general public, including young people who are concerned about resilience to climate change, biodiversity, and water management.
- Government ministries and agencies with a mandate and an interest in biodiversity, climate, the environment, pollution, and water.
The objectives of WGSD were:
- Implement the thoughts on ecological civilization into science popularization.
- Focus on scientific communication of biodiversity conservation and green development, and further strengthen the connection between scientific research projects and science popularization.
- Integrate different countries into actions related to the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3,6,11,12,13,14,15).
- Promote scientific literacy, climate literacy, wetland protection, biodiversity protection, and green development,
- Boost public understanding of green science development.
- Grow the academic network of experts interested in Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development.
- Raise interest in Green actions to promote the restoration of wetlands, oceans, watermarks, etc.
- Create and launch the first Green Science Library.
- Strengthen the quantity and quality construction of science popularization bases and expand their functions.
- Popularize practices around major issues such as ecological civilization, climate change, sustainable development and human health.
WGSD was an excellent and exceptional opportunity to join representatives of different countries, among which borders and distances no longer exist. Offering delegates the chance to discuss their experience in promoting actions that favor green development and biodiversity conservation. We challenged the academic community to take on new perspectives, and build strong new friendships that span across the globe. The event was inspirational through our guest speaker sessions and scintillating topics. We hope that WGSD will help our future leaders to develop the International Green Science Academy Network (IGSAN) and transform their ideas into actions.
How are SCC and the WGSD related?
The “South-South Biodiversity Science Project (SSBSP)” initiated by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) and the Green Science Project (GSP) initiated by the Andean Road Countries for Science and Technology (ARCST) joined efforts to start the first of the four phases of the SCC through Science Popularization to raise awareness of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean. The project of SCC in Latin America and the Caribbean aims to develop a foundation for the scientific cause and build a community with a shared future for mankind.6 The first WGSD was an excellent opportunity for scholars, academician, researchers, professors, students, and society to exchange knowledge about contemporary issues related to biodiversity conservation and green development, promote scientific literacy for the general public, foster the ideas of the young generations, and inspire and engage the community into climate change action.
How did the SCC start?
During the “1st Annual Meeting on Science Literacy 2021: A prerequisite for stimulating climate change engagement” organized in November 2021, 7 several institutions and organizations from different fields around the world that included research, academia, education, innovation, and technology, agreed on the first Declaration on Science and Climate Literacy in the Latin American and Caribbean region. In 2022, we prepared a second version of the declaration, and in 2023, we launched a third version of the declaration inviting the community of researchers, practitioners, scientists, activists, and the general public to work together to promote the harmonious development of science and technology, to contribute to the improvement of public science literacy, climate literacy, biodiversity conservation, green science, and green development to create a better future for the whole of human society.
Figure 4. First version (2021) of the Declaration on Science and Climate Literacy. Source: Andean Road Countries for Science and Technology (ARCST)
In 2023 the updated version of the Declaration on Science and Climate Literacy as shown below.8
Figure 5. Third version (2023) of the Declaration on Science and Climate Literacy across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Source: Andean Road Countries for Science and Technology (ARCST).
Which units were in charge of organizing the WGSD?
The first celebration of the WGSD was planned, designed, organized and executed by the following institutions:
Figure 6. Organizers and collaborators of the first celebration of the World Green Science Day in 2022.
1. Andean Road Countries for Science and Technology
Founded in 2018, ARCST is an international scientific organization based on the general principles of “joint consultation, joint effort and joint sharing” and the promotion of shared development and achievement of the UN SDGs. ARCST members include national academies of sciences, universities, research institutes, and international organizations. ARCST is committed to playing an effective role in catalyzing and implementing innovative international science initiatives to build a community of the humankind with a shared future. Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building (STIC) are essential to the progress and welfare of human societies and ARCST is particularly keen to cooperate and partner with those who want to collaborate in these endeavors. Promoting the popularization of Science, the exchange of knowledge, the diffusion of information, mutual learning, and collaboration. The vision of ARCST is to become an international science organization of global impact in catalyzing and implementing concrete innovative programs, initiatives, and actions in Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building (STIC) for the promotion of shared development and the advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).9
2. China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF)
Founded in 1985, China Foundation for Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development (CBCGDF), a uniform social credit code: 53100000500009167K, is a country-wide non-profit public foundation and a social legal entity dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and green development. It is an independent NGO on the environment, biodiversity conservation, sustainability and CCAfa (“Community Conservation Area”). It is a member of IUCN and the UN Global Compact, and an accredited observer of the UN IPBES. It is also a member of the Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN), a partner of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and an observer of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food. n and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) of the FAO of the United Nations. It is an official data publisher of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). By far, CBCGDF has funded hundreds of grassroots NGOs and supported tens of thousands of people and organized many environmental and conservation events across the country to raise awareness, encourage people and empower people.10
3. Journal of Latin American Sciences and Culture
Founded in 2019, with ISSN 2788-8991 (France). Publishes scientific and academic articles in three languages, English, Spanish and Chinese. The Journal of Latin American Sciences and Culture (JLASC) is an international journal seeking to promote the scientific landscape in Latin America and the Caribbean by pushing conventional boundaries to include issues, perspectives, and methods relevant to education, science, technology, and culture. JLASC thus intends to truly internationalize these areas through the journal’s attention globally. JLASC seeks to explore not only the diversity and richness of Latin American and the Caribbean scientific issues, but perspectives, research methods, and evidence of the many creative flows of influence that exist between Latin America, Sino-American cultures, and other peripheries, therefore, education, science, technology can be powered by wide-ranging ideas from many cultures and research areas. JLASC welcomes submissions that focus on empirical research, theoretical analyses, or literature and book reviews. Proposals for special issues are actively encouraged and should be discussed with the Editor-in-Chief or a member of the Senior Editorial Team of the journal. The JLASC promotes scientific literacy, the popularization of science, science popularization, Media and Information Literacy (MIL) through the guidelines of UNESCO. The JLASC also promotes the exchange of knowledge and the dissemination of information for the development of society in science, technology, innovation, education, and culture. Special attention is given to the use and promotion of Spanish language for these purposes. We also count on the support of Chaoxuan Intelligent Research Institute and Elektro High Tech Co. Ltd for the promotion of Science and Technology advances that can be beneficial for the world.11
4. Elektro High Tech Co. Ltd.
Founded in 2020, Elektro has the mission to improve people’s lives through meaningful innovation. At the same time has the vision to inspire the world with innovative technologies, products, and designs that enrich people’s lives and contribute to social prosperity by creating a new future in harmony with nature.12
5. Universidad Privada del Valle (UNIVALLE)
Founded on October 4, 1988, by Dr. Gonzalo Ruiz Martínez; Univalle has been projected as a synonym for academic excellence in Latin America with more than 32 undergraduate degree programs. Currently, about 14,000 national and foreign students carry out their higher studies in the university infrastructure with the greatest technological advance in Bolivia. In these 33 years of academic trajectory, Univalle has trained more than 16,000 professionals at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in its four locations, which are located in Cochabamba, La Paz, Sucre and Trinidad. And soon in the new headquarters located in Santa Cruz. Our history reflects the fact that “We are the Scientific Answer to the Future”.13
6. UCEVA
The Central Unit of Valle del Cauca (Spanish: Unidad Central del Valle del Cauca), also called UCEVA, is a public, departmental, coeducational university based in the city of Tuluá, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The UCEVA is a public institution of higher education, committed to the training of upright professionals for the human development of the region and the country, in the context of its social responsibility; founded on the exercise of its autonomy, with continuous improvement as a quality condition, from an integrating curriculum mediated by an inter structuring pedagogical model, relevant for the transformation of the life of its stakeholders, responding through the generation of knowledge to the challenges of local society. In its commitment to permanence in time for the year 2030, the UCEVA will be recognized as an institution of high quality in its missionary processes, its significant impact on regional and national development and inclusive dialogue with local society, guiding its actions to the continuous search for the transformation of the life of its stakeholders.14
7. Chaoxuan Intelligent Research Institute
Chaoxuan Research Institute is a leading technology and mode research and development institution set up by Chaoxuan Group. The Institute brings together academicians and experts in various fields and has an academic committee and some expert committees.
8. UNESCO Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Alliance
Our brains depend on information to work optimally. The quality of information we engage with largely determines our perceptions, beliefs and attitudes. It could be information from other persons, the media, libraries, archives, museums, publishers, or other information providers including those on the Internet. People across the world are witnessing a dramatic increase in access to information and communication. While some people are starved for information, others are flooded with print, broadcast, and digital content. Media and Information Literacy (MIL) provides answers to the questions that we all ask ourselves at some point. How can we access, search, critically assess, use and contribute content wisely, both online and offline? What are our rights online and offline? What are the ethical issues surrounding the access and use of information? How can we engage with media and ICTs to promote equality, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, peace, freedom of expression and access to information? Through capacity-building resources, such as curricula development, policy guidelines and articulation, and assessment framework, UNESCO supports the development of MIL competencies among people. Free and open online courses are available for self-paced learning about MIL. Through media and information technologies, the Organization facilitates networking and research through the Global Alliance for Partnerships on MIL (GAPMIL) and MIL University Network. The recently-launched MIL CLICKS social media initiative is also part of UNESCO’s strategy to enable media and information-literate societies.15
9. Mega Science
Founded in 2021. Science popularization means to bring science to the general public, disseminate knowledge and foster a scientific way of thinking among people. In particular, science popularization refers to the understanding of science and public engagement. In this way science popularization is a powerful tool and a strategic measure to build a modern society, not only disseminating useful knowledge and skills but spreading a general approach and a common culture. In general, conflicts between the science community and public opinion are connected to people’s distrust but also to scientists’ prejudice. In some cases, science is not correctly understood by non-scientists due to the use of technical jargon and wrong communication. We believe that every topic can be the object of science popularization; it only depends on the communication skills of who is in charge of the dissemination and the way to disseminate it. That is why we are glad to cooperate with Mega Science, the first platform of science popularization that creates and shares content in three languages and in diverse areas of science. Scan the following QR code to know more about it.16
Figure 7. Official logos of the a) Quantum Leap to Green Action (QLGA) and the b) International Green Science Academy Network (IGSAN).
Outlook for the celebration of the WGSD in 2023
The popularization of science ought to touch on issues such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), biodiversity conservation and green development. These are areas that need immediate attention to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is feasible to design programs that can be sustainable over time and even included in university curriculums to engage youngsters to popularize science and scientific education. Efforts to improve the popularization of science can be directed in at least three directions: the general public, children and young adults, politicians and entrepreneurs. Also, initiatives to make scientific and technological knowledge accessible and familiar to the general public should be complemented by educational reforms that support the role of science teaching in primary and secondary schools as well as a significant expansion of hands-on experimental activities. After all, science is an experimental endeavor. We have entered a period of technological prosperity. The advancement of science has never been so rapid, the scope of science has never been so broad, and the responsibility of fostering and promoting scientific culture has never been so vital and weighty as it is today. In our quest to popularize science, we must promote scientific culture as a way of life, viewing it as the most important component of advanced culture and the cornerstone of science and technology power. This is the only way to advance our scientific cause, and it is also our historical responsibility.17
References
1 http://www.cbcgdf.org/English/NewsShow/5012/21823.html
2 http://www.cbcgdf.org/English/NewsShow/5008/21612.html
5 https://journalasc.org/2021/08/13/scientific_literacy_gsp_1/
6 http://z.cbcgdf.org/nd.jsp?id=580&_sc=3
7 https://journalasc.org/annual_meeting/
8 https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/UpCYN7c1bs09ysKVJg3Hyg
9 https://onlinemac.wixsite.com/arcs
11 https://revistas.univalle.edu/index.php/jlsc, https://journalasc.org/
12 https://onlinemac.wixsite.com/wwwelektrocom
16 https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/UpCYN7c1bs09ysKVJg3Hyg
17 Wang Chufa. Scientific Culture and the Construction of a World Leader in Science and Technology. Cultures of Science. (1),1, 2018