InterAcademy Panel

Contents

InterAcademy Panel is an international network of national academies of science, engineering and medicine that connects scholarly institutions such as Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences (United States), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences, and Académie des sciences (France) with policy processes at the level of United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank, European Commission, and G20. It convenes experts from institutions including Max Planck Society, Academia Sinica, Indian National Science Academy, Brazilian Academy of Sciences, and African Academy of Sciences to produce consensus reports and statements informing events such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity, Sustainable Development Goals, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

History

The initiative grew out of collaborations among academies like the Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences (United States), Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Korean Academy of Science and Technology, and Academia Brasileira de Ciências during the late 20th century, intersecting with international gatherings such as the Earth Summit (1992), the World Conference on Science (1999), and meetings of the International Council for Science. Early activities paralleled the formation of bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Global Health Security Agenda, and leaders from institutions like Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina shaped foundational guidelines. Over successive decades the Panel engaged with crises resembling the SARS outbreak, the H1N1 pandemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting its remit alongside partners such as the World Health Organization and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

Its declared mission aligns scholarly institutions like National Academy of Medicine (United States), Royal Society of Canada, Japan Academy, Academie des sciences morales et politiques, and Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences to provide evidence-based advice to multilateral bodies including the United Nations, World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and International Monetary Fund. Objectives draw on comparative practice from organizations such as International Science Council, Wellcome Trust, GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and Climate-KIC to synthesize expert consensus, promote capacity building across regions represented by African Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Union for the Mediterranean, and support assessments used by forums like the G20 and the World Economic Forum.

Governance resembles that of the Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences (United States), and Academia Europaea, with a council drawn from member academies such as Chinese Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, and Australian Academy of Science. Leadership roles mirror posts in organizations like the International Science Council and include an executive director and board akin to governance at the Wellcome Trust and MacArthur Foundation. Committees coordinate with specialist academies such as the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, while secretariat functions parallel those of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Research Council.

Programs produce consensus statements and reports comparable to publications of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and issue briefings used by World Health Organization panels and the United Nations Environment Programme. Initiatives have addressed topics linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, including climate change mitigation discussed at the Conference of the Parties, pandemic preparedness informed by case studies like the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, and biodiversity issues tied to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Capacity-building activities parallel training by Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and include regional workshops modeled after efforts by the African Academy of Sciences and Pan American Health Organization.

Membership comprises national academies such as National Academy of Sciences (United States), Royal Society, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Académie des sciences (France), Deutsches Nationalkomitee für Leichtbau and smaller academies like Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Palestine Academy for Science and Technology, and Royal Society of New Zealand. Regional networks include groups comparable to the African Academy of Sciences, Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS), European Academies Science Advisory Council, InterAmerican Network, and regional bodies linked to ASEAN. These networks facilitate cross-border projects involving institutions such as University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of Cape Town, Peking University, and Indian Institute of Science.

Funding streams combine contributions from member academies such as Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences (United States), grants from foundations like the Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and support from intergovernmental agencies including the European Commission and World Bank. Financial oversight and transparency practices are informed by standards used by organizations like the International Science Council, Charities Aid Foundation, and major academies such as Russian Academy of Sciences and Academia Sinica, with audits and reporting aligned to expectations of partners including the United Nations and donor foundations.

Category:International scientific organizations