News
-Forthcoming UN vote on cloning, and IAP ...
67 academies of sciences which signed the IAP Statement on human cloning which IAP released in September 2003 have been contacted again in August 2004 and asked to send a copy of the Statement to the appropriate officials in their government and inform them of the position adopted by the global assembly of science academies. The statement called for a global ban on reproductive cloning, and urged that policy on cloning for research or therapeutic purposes should be left to individual countries to determine according to their own circumstances. The UN Sixth Committee will revisit this topic again in Autumn and a vote on this issue is provisionally scheduled for October 20/21.
The statement (in English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish) can be downloaded from the url:
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/iap/iaphome.nsf/weblinks/WWWW-5RHFLT?OpenDocument.
See also the press release, courtesy of The Royal Society (UK): http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/templates/press/showpresspage.cfm?file=550.txt
-The Royal Society, UK, published a report, "Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies: Opportunities and Uncertainties" in July 2004.
The UK Government commissioned the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering - the UK's Academies of science and of engineering respectively - to produce a report on the potential benefits and problems likely to be associated with the development of nanotechnologies. The report highlights how the technologies can bring great benefits to society, including new materials and more powerful computers as well as revolutionary new techniques in medicine, and recommends steps to realise these while minimising possible risks and future uncertainties. The report has been welcomed by policy makers, industry and NGOs both in the UK and overseas. For a copy, contact: nano@royalsoc.ac.uk or see: http://www.nanotec.org.uk/finalReport.htm
-The Pakistan Academy of Sciences will host the second executive committee meeting of NASIC (Network of Academies of Sciences in Countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference)</B>]. The meeting will take place in conjunction with an interministerial meeting of OIC ministers of science and technology, 7-9 September 2004, in Bhurban. NASIC's electronic newsletter is available at: pasisb@yahoo.com
-NASAC (Network of African Science Academies) is organizing its first science summit, "HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Africa: Its Implication on Human Development in the Continent and the Critical Issues in its Control." The conference, hosted by the Nigerian Academy of Sciences, will take place in Abuja from 21-25 September. The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) general assembly will be held during the same time. For more information, contact: aas@africaonline.co.ke
-The Science Council of Japan is organizing its fifth international conference with ICSU. The theme is "Asian Megacities and Sustainability." Issues to be discussed include energy use, health, and human settlement and planning in urban environments. The conference will be held in Tokyo from 10-12 November. IAP is a collaborating partner. For more information, contact: i266@scj.go.jp
-The Hungarian Academy of Sciences hosts of the World Academy of Young Scientists (WAYS). This global network of young scientists plans to conduct scientific research, prepare youth for scientific careers and promote dialogue between the scientific community and society. For more information, see: www.waysnet.org or contact: ways@sztaki.hu.