The aim is to promote science that is more connected to local demands, strengthening community-based conservation in different territories and establishing a decentralized model for natural resources management.

By João Vitor Campos-Silva
Translated by Luiza Campos

The International Science Council (ISC) has announced the launch of innovative pilot projects as part of its Scientific Mission for Sustainability initiative, which aims to redefine how science is conducted and applied to address humanity’s most urgent challenges, such as the climate crisis and growing social inequalities. This initiative comes at a crucial moment, with the United Nations General Assembly proclaiming the period from 2024 to 2033 as the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development. The ISC’s mission is to directly contribute to this global effort, seeking to harness the full potential of science to ensure a safe and prosperous future for all.

Traditional research models, fragmented and disconnected from society’s needs, have failed to keep pace with the urgency of today’s challenges. Bearing this in mind, the ISC has developed a new mission-driven science model, which proposes the co-creation of research questions with policymakers, the third sector and local communities. The goal is to produce applicable knowledge and present scalable solutions to interrelated sustainability issues. João Campos-Silva, president of Instituto Juruá, was in Muscat, Oman’s capital, in the Middle East, in January 2025, as one of the selected projects will be led by Instituto Juruá. In this project, IJ and several partners will strengthen community-based conservation in different territories and consolidate decentralized management of natural resources, aligning biodiversity protection and local life quality and the strengthening of cultural practices of indigenous people and local communities.