Science Diplomacy and Sustainable Development: The Department of Energy’s Contribution to the UNESCO Global Conference

Professor Emanuela Colombo, Full Professor in the Department of Energy at Politecnico di Milano, the Rector’s Delegate for Science Diplomacy, and Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Energy for Sustainable Development, was invited to speak at the 2026 Global Conference of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD), organized by UNESCO and held in Paris from 15 to 17 July. The conference was also attended by Eng. Andrea Valese, a PhD candidate at Politecnico di Milano. Both represented the UNESCO Chair in Energy for Sustainable Development.

Entitled Science in Action: Building a Sustainable and Equitable Future for All, the conference brought together representatives from governments, universities, international organizations, industry, civil society, and Indigenous communities to discuss the contribution of science to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building a resilient future beyond 2030. The event highlighted the importance of transdisciplinary research, open science, and international cooperation in fostering more equitable and inclusive development.
Invited by the United Nations University, Professor Colombo joined the panel “From Atoms to Sustainable Development Agendas: Advancing Science Diplomacy in a Fragmented World”, which explored the role of science diplomacy in strengthening international cooperation within an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. The discussion focused on how the scientific community can promote dialogue among countries, build mutual trust, and support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through international collaboration.
During her speech, Professor Emanuela Colombo emphasized the value of scientific cooperation in building local knowledge and capacities:

“Capacity building is not simply about transferring knowledge; it is about building scientific sovereignty through processes of co-design and co-creation of knowledge among partners who collaborate as equals.”

The panel also featured Ana María Cetto Kramis, Professor of Physics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and former Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli, Emeritus Professor of Nuclear Physics at Mohammed V University in Rabat, Vice President of the African Academy of Sciences, and a collaborator on CERN’s ATLAS experiment.
 

As part of the conference, the UNESCO Chair was also represented by Andrea Valese at the side event “Science, Energy, Heritage and Peace: Women-led Pathways for Sustainable Development between Italy and Africa”, which focused on strengthening scientific cooperation between Europe and Africa through dialogue among institutions, universities, international organizations, and the private sector.
During the roundtable discussion, Valese highlighted the strategic importance of the knowledge and education value chain as a key infrastructure for sustainable development. He also emphasized that, much like the supply chains for critical materials and technologies, knowledge and education systems are increasingly vulnerable to geopolitical risks and disruptions.

Participation in the UNESCO Global Conference reaffirms the Department of Energy’s commitment to advancing science diplomacy and international cooperation as essential tools for addressing the global challenges of sustainable development. It also highlights the Department’s dedication to strengthening the role of research and education in building international partnerships and fostering shared scientific capacity.

“International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-2033)”  link: www.un-sciences-decade.org/

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