1 / 2022 // LEOPOLDINA / NEWS 3
Editorial
Dear Members and Friends of the Leopoldina ,
Climate action in polar regions , the restructuring of the energy system , the use of antivirals as a means of defence against future pandemics and a One Health approach . These are the issues which the science academies of the G7 countries will be assessing together in 2022 . Under the leadership of the Leopoldina , they will contribute to the agenda of the G7 summit meeting of heads of state and government in Elmau / Germany . The joint process of publishing statements strengthens cohesion between the seven science academies and is an inspiring experience for the researchers involved ( pages 4 and 5 ).
When the Leopoldina last led the Science7 process in 2015 , I contributed to the statement on the future of the oceans . Marine conservation was subsequently included in the closing communiqué of the 2015 summit in Elmau . Seven years have passed since then and we can now expect that the
Prof . ( ETHZ ) Dr . Gerald Haug , President of the Leopoldina voice of science will be heard even
Image : David Ausserhofer | Leopoldina more loudly and clearly than it was at that time . After all , in the course of the pandemic , science has generally gained visibility and respect . There are still challenges , however , such as in the communication of research results , the dissemination of science-based policy advice and inappropriate media reports on individual researchers . This is motivation enough for the Leopoldina to take steps to shed more light on the relationship between science , society and politics . As part of this initiative , we have launched a new series of articles on the topic . I set the ball rolling on page 9 of this issue .
Incidentally , in early December of last year , an example of inappropriate media reporting prompted a rapid joint response from the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany in the form of a call for more objectivity in discussions and reporting ( page 8 ). It was reassuring to see that the community was able to act so quickly . This gives us reason to hope that science is well placed to overcome the current communication challenges .
I hope you find this issue an interesting and inspiring read !