WORLD COMMISSION ON THE ETHICS OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY

The World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) mirrors at the international level numerous national commissions on science, technology, and ethics. In the early 1990s, the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) formally recognized that the changes wrought by science and technology raise questions that demand ethical reflection (Pompidou 2000). In 1997 it approved the creation of COMEST to institutionalize this growing awareness that ethical reflection must become an integral part of scientific research and its technological applications. COMEST and the Bioethics Programme at UNESCO comprise its Programme on the Ethics of Science and Technology, which is designed to further the mission of UNESCO to serve as the conscience of the United Nations.

In addition to advising UNESCO on its program concerning the ethics of scientific knowledge and technology, COMEST is mandated to: (a) be an intellectual forum for the exchange of ideas and experience; (b) identify the early signs of risk situations; (c) advise decision makers on such issues; and (d) promote dialogue between scientific communities, decision makers, and the general public. COMEST is composed of eighteen members and eleven ex-officio members diversified by expertise, nationality, and culture. The operating budget of COMEST for the 2002–2003 biennial was $3.8 million.

By mid-2004, COMEST had held three main sessions. The first was in Oslo in April 1999, which focused on analysis of the ethical aspects in the fields of energy and freshwater resources and the information society. The second, in Berlin in December 2001, was devoted to assessing the progress of COMEST and its influence. In addition, a youth forum on the ethics of science and technology was held and a statement about space policy developed. The third session was held in Rio de Janeiro in December 2003 with a significantly wider agenda incorporating the ethics of biotechnology and nanotechnology. In addition, the Rio de Janeiro Declaration on Ethics in Science and Technology, signed by representatives from Portugal and several countries in South America and Africa, committed the party nations to pursue ethical approaches to scientific and technological advance. The sessions were attended by policy makers, scientists, and representatives from various organizations and member nations.

Complementing these three sessions are various COMEST subcommissions and working groups. Four subcommissions have focused on the ethical aspects of freshwater resources, space policy, energy use, and the information society. These research topics were designed to follow up on the efforts of the World Conference on Science hosted by UNESCO and the International Council for Science (ICSU) held in Budapest in 1999. Working groups have addressed issues such as ethics education and ethics and responsibility in research training.

The principle outputs of the subcommissions and working groups have been a series of publications. Each report surveys an issue and highlights the ethical questions involved. The main focus is on recommendations to COMEST or other decision-making bodies regarding alternative courses of action. For example, the subcommission on the ethics of freshwater created the Research and Ethical Network Embracing Water (RENEW) to identify and endorse examples of best ethical practices of freshwater use. It also produced a report, "Some Examples of Best Ethical Practices in Water Use," that used five case studies to highlight fundamental ethical principles to guide water use policies. Other subcommissions have outlined considerations that could point the way toward more just and sustainable policies (for example Pompidou 2000, Kimmins 2001). The principle of precaution and the concepts of sustainable development and environmental responsibility underpin these recommendations.

COMEST has grown over its short history. Its budget increased 50 percent for the 2002–2003 sessions, and it has broadened its scope of topics. The global scale of COMEST provides its three main strengths. First the internationalization of ethical issues involving science and technology necessitate a global forum such as COMEST to foster communication and mediate conflicts. Its multicultural and interdisciplinary analyses have contributed to better identification of the ethical issues involved in areas such as freshwater, space, and energy. They have also detected early signs of possible risks to society and articulated guidelines for decision makers in the public and private sectors. Second its global reach allows COMEST to promote the development of ethical reflection on these issues in countries that do not have such institutions. Third the scope of COMEST allows it to formulate universal norms to guide the wise use of science and technology.

The global scale of COMEST is also a weakness because it can distance its analyses from the site-specific considerations necessary for formulating ethical policies. Invoking universal standards and ethical principles in concrete situations presents COMEST with its biggest challenge. Several subcommission reports recognize the need to tailor solutions to local conditions (Kimmins 2000). Yet this means that COMEST may be out of synch with its intended audiences and must strive to reconcile its global reach with local needs. Toward this end, COMEST must establish more objective assessments of its work in order to evaluate its efforts.

ADAM BRIGGLE

SEE ALSO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

INTERNET RESOURCES

Brelet, Claudine. (2004). "Some Examples of Best Ethical Practice in Water Use." United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Available from http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=4382&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html. A 54 page report by the COMEST subcommission on the Ethics of Freshwater Use.

Kimmins, James P. (2001). "The Ethics of Energy: A Framework for Action." United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Available from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001235/123511eo.pdf. A 55 page report by the COMEST subcommission on the Ethics of Energy, covering the current situation of energy throughout the world and the ethical challenge of energy, with recommendations for future action.

Pompidou, Alain. (2000). "The Ethics of Space Policy." United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Available from http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=4382&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html. A 137 page report by the working group on the Ethics of Space Policy addressing ethical implications of space activities for different sociocultural contexts.

World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Available from http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1373&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html. Link to the COMEST page of the UNESCO web site.