Scientific Advisory Board calls for global commitment to open science
The UN’s Scientific Advisory Board has called for urgent action to advance open science, stressing that sharing research data and knowledge openly is vital for tackling global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and inequality. The Board warned that geopolitical tensions and the privatisation of research threaten progress, urging governments, the UN, and private actors to make scientific knowledge a true global public good.
The Scientific Advisory Board to the United Nations Secretary-General has issued a statement urging governments and international organisations to step up efforts to promote open science. Open science refers to practices such as sharing research data, methods, publications, and software freely and transparently, making scientific knowledge accessible to all.
According to the Board, open science strengthens research by speeding up discoveries, improving cooperation, and helping societies respond to urgent global problems, from climate change and pandemics to food insecurity. It also fosters inclusivity by ensuring that different knowledge systems, including Indigenous and local expertise, contribute to scientific progress. The Board emphasised that open science is directly tied to human rights, as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises everyone’s right to participate in and benefit from scientific advancements.
However, the statement warns that geopolitical tensions, declining trust in institutions, intellectual property disputes, financial pressures, and the privatisation of research are threatening progress. These barriers, the Board said, limit the free flow of knowledge and risk leaving many countries, especially in the Global South, behind.
The Board called on UN member states to accelerate implementation of the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, follow through on commitments in the UN’s Pact for the Future and Global Digital Compact, and ensure scientists are directly involved in shaping solutions. It also urged the UN system to embed open science across its mandates and to build a global infrastructure for data sharing.
Decision-makers, including governments, private companies, and publishers, were encouraged to remove financial and technical barriers to access, respect Indigenous data rights, and ensure fair governance of scientific knowledge. Investments in training and infrastructure in developing countries were highlighted as essential for equitable participation.
The statement concludes that open science is key to making scientific knowledge a global public good, strengthening international cooperation, and supporting evidence-based policies to address today’s most pressing challenges.
