by Professor Dato Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim,
We have all seen how science has helped cushion the impact of the pandemic on
global health. The development of the vaccines in record time takes the top spot. We have to thank the science of biotechnology for the fast speed in developing vaccines, now shown to be the potential weapon to tame the pandemic. Science has also helped innovation in diagnostics for covid-19, improving the testing speed to quickly isolate infected cases. Internet science and IT, on the other hand, have been the science behind the contact tracing applications. In fact, without internet science, the world would struggle much more under the pandemic. The world economy would be much worse.
Education is one which has benefitted a lot from the internet. It would have been a disaster for education if the internet is not been around. The internet has made possible the delivery of lessons online. In fact, in higher education, lessons could even be delivered to international students. Through the ingenuity of digital science, there are now algorithms available that can almost mimic the physical contact experience of the normal classroom. Online conferences and webinars have also become commonplace. They are not only cheaper to conduct but can only reach out to a bigger audience, literally the world. Speakers can also present their papers without leaving their homes. Countries that had the foresight to invest in broadband now fare better than others.
Broadband has also proven to be a big help in online commerce. Now we do not have to leave home to enjoy our favorite cuisine. They are all easily available through online ordering and delivery. Not to mention the convenience to hail a ride to reach your destination. Science has made it all possible. The science may have been done decades ago. But now thanks to such investment, we are all tasting the fruits of the technologies which have sprung up from the fundamental science that was researched years ago. That is why we need to have the right balance between basic and applied research in science.
Some say the pandemic is only a pale shadow of the even bigger threat that is looming ahead. I am talking about climate change. Scientists predict that the repercussions on the world would be much worse once global temperatures exceed two degrees Centigrade. Population living in coastal cities and the low-lying islands of the world will become what people call climate refugees. Now the refugees of the world are created by conflicts and economic hardships. Displaced people from climate disasters will add to that number, making the problem even more complex for the world. Science is again seen as the solution to reduce global warming which fuels climate change. The sciences of energy, waste management, materials, and manufacturing hold some of the answers to resolve the climate issue. It is, therefore, no surprise that countries around the world are busy devoting resources to drive research on such sciences.
Like the pandemic, where no one country can single-handedly bring an end to the problem, the same applies to climate change. They both require global cooperation. We must also be reminded that science only provides the tools to combat the problems. In order to bring science to bear on the problems, we need the right policies to guide the effective implementation of the sciences. We need policies at both the international and local levels.
On climate change, the UNFCCC has been meeting on an annual basis to get agreements from nation-states on the policies to reduce GHG emissions. Everyone always cites the 2015 Paris Agreement, which managed to iron out much of the different stands by countries, as reference. The US which pulled out of the agreement in 2016 has now rejoined, a decision which many welcome. The next crucial meeting will be held in November in Glasgow. It is encouraging to hear of pledges by many countries to cut emissions. The acid test is of course in the implementation. But what has become clear is that, while science matters a lot to the world, the right policies are critical.
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