Presentation of Angela Guzman, ICSU ROLAC Scientific Officer, on the Priority Areas for the #ICSUFocalPointsinLAC workshop in Universidad de Panamá March 9-10, 2015

1. March 9-10, 2015, Panama, Panama
Workshop of ICSU Focal
Points in Latin America and
the Caribbean

2. 1. Sustainable energy
2. Disaster Risk Reduction
3. Biodiversity
4. Mathematics education

3. 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Sustainable
Energy: Follow-
up Meeting
Global-Regional
Workshop on
Sustainable
Energy
First Workshop
on Sustainable
Energy
10 Apr
“Sustainable Energy in Latin
America and the Caribbean:
Potential for the Future”
“Sustainable Energy Systems for
Universal Energy Access and to
mitigate Global Climate Change"
15 Dec - 2 Jun
Sustainable energy

4. Mission:
- to be the scientific advising body for ICSU ROLAC
- to propose and promote international cooperative strategic
actions on SE
- to foster initiatives on SE with global and trans- disciplinary
perspectives
ICSU ROLAC Steering Committee on
Sustainable Energy (SE)
Main objectives and lines of actions
1. Research, Development, Demonstration and Knowledge
Management
2. Capacity building
3. Outreach and advocacy

5. Proposed research topics on SE
1.Improving efficiency in energy conversion, transportation, and
consumption as well as in energy planning and management in
order to resolve the problems of climate change while meeting
the need for energy security. Energy efficiency research
requires the introduction and adaptation of the latest available
technologies for efficient buildings, efficient illumination,
energy saving devices, etc.
2.Expanding and strengthening regional knowledge management
capabilities for sustainable energy in cooperation with CODATA
and relevant regional organizations, e.g., OLADE.

6. Proposed research topics on SE
3. Development of optimized energy matrixes that maximize
the use of renewable energy sources at the local, national,
sub-regional and/or regional levels to provide decision
makers with scientific tools for sustainable energy planning
and policies.
4. Development of micro-grid case studies together with
vulnerable communities to improve local energy generation
and distribution, and appropriate training for local
management and maintenance of the micro-grid.

7. 5. Efficient expansion planning, operation, and management
of Latin America power systems, including the updating of
energy generation facilities, the integration of significant
renewable power capacity, and feasibility analyses and
research towards the implementation of smart grid
technologies.
6. Design of regulatory frameworks to remunerate renewable
generation in order to meet renewable targets in a timely
manner while preserving the overall economic efficiency of
the power sector.
7. Research on the positive environmental impact of
interconnecting the power systems of neighboring countries
and integrating national electricity markets.
Proposed research topics on SE

8. 1. Develop a series of training institutes on sustainable energy for young social
and natural scientists and engineers from the LAC region, where the
participants will be faced with a real community in need of energy solutions.
After attending lectures by leading experts and representatives of energy
agencies and power utilities on the scientific, social, political, technical, and
economic aspects of sustainable energy, the participants will be asked to
design a project that provides a solution for the energy needs of the
community. The proposal should include the analysis of local energy
resources, the evaluation of the energy needs of the community, and the
contemplation of specific cultural issues and possibilities of local engagement
in the project. The best proposals will be presented to the authorities of the
community and national science agencies in search of co-funding for the
solution to be implemented.
Capacity building projects on SE

9. 2.Develop a series of workshops on micro-grid and smart-grid
technologies as building blocks of the energy grid of the
future.
Capacity building projects on SE
Micro-grid

10. 2010 2012 2013
Regional Workshop on Disaster Risk
Management in LAC, Argentina.
1st Meeting of the ICSU ROLAC SC on DRR
Preparatory Meeting for the
establishment of the Steering Committee
ICSU ROLAC
Steering Committee
on Disaster Risk
Reduction
Consortium
IAI-ICSU-UNESCO
Inter- Institutional Committee,
Ministry of S&T of Argentina
Participation of young scientists
Regional Preparatory Meeting
for Hyogo2, Chile
Agreement on the establishment of the
ICSU ROLAC Steering Committee on
Disaster Risk Reduction7 Sep
“Understanding and
managing risk associated
with natural hazards: A
comprehensive scientific
approach for LAC”
2014
Disaster Risk
Reduction

12. IDENTIFICATION OF EXISTING ADVANCES AND LINKAGES
OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND ACADEMIC COMMUNITY
INITIATIVES WITH DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (DRR)
IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBEAN (LAC)
Consultant: V. Jimenez
Consultancy
Results to be presented at WCDRR, Sendai,
Japan, March 2015

13. Work programme for the SC on DRR:
a)Publish online the results of the consultancy.
b)Expand the set of data including Brazil and keep the
information updated.
c)To hold annual activities starting with FLACSO activities in
2015.
d)To plan an Education activity for the end of 2015.
e)To outline the structure of an integrated workshop on science,
policy and practice, to be held as an annual activity.
f) To follow up on WCDRR in an electronic meeting in April.

14. Work programme for the SC on DRR:
g) To establish contacts with the organizers of “Understanding
risk” (GFDRR) to allocate the ICSU ROLAC capacity building
activity with their conference.
h) To recommend to the representatives in the meeting of the
ICSU ROLAC with focal points to promote the creation of
national committee of IRDR, showing the successful cases of
Argentina, Colombia, and/or Panama.
i) Discuss possibilities for FORIN in the next meeting: Training
workshop and study cases.
j) Meeting on sensitizing policy-makers will be discussed for
2017.

15. 2010 2013 2014
“Biodiversity and
human well-being in
LAC: A multi-sectorial
contribution to the
science-policy
interface"
“Biodiversity in LAC: an
assessment of
knowledge, research
scope, and priority
areas”
Workshop on
Biodiversity
Science-Policy
Workshop: Access
and Benefit-Sharing
for non-commercial
academic research
Biodiversity

16. Capacity & Networking Project (CANP)
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
II Taller sobre
Enseñanza de las
Matemáticas en
América Latina
ICSU-ROLAC Meeting on
Mathematics Education
in Latin America and the
Caribbean
Mathematicians
and school math
education
Regional
Workshop in
mathematics
education
“Mathematics Education in
LAC: a reality to be
transformed”
Massive Olympiads 13 May - 14 May
Teacher training 14 May - 15 May
Continued education for teachers 15 May - 16 May
Repository of materials for Math
Education
17 May - 18 May
Cooperation
27 Jun - 29 Jun
2015
Math Education

17. Health and Wellbeing
• Over half of the World’s population lives in urban areas
• Urban population is increasing 2% annually
• Urbanization presents opportunities and risks, and
challenges for maintain and improving human health and
wellbeing.
• Systems analysis, which is explicitly designed to deal with
complexity, and which draws on insights and inputs from
diverse scientific disciplines, is an approach that has unique
potential to address these issues.

18. Health and Wellbeing
• An international scientific 10-year programme approved by
the ICSU 30th General Assembly in Rome, October 2011
• In response to the interest of a number of its Members
• Was included as a new priority in the 1st ICSU Strategic Plan,
2006-2011.
• Build an ICSU interdisciplinary programme

19. Health and Wellbeing
• Stimulating specific research projects
• Developing new methodologies
• Identifying data needs and knowledge gaps
• Building and strengthening scientific capacity
• Facilitating communication and outreach

20. Co-sponsors: the United Nations University (UNU) and the InterAcademy
Medical Panel (IAMP)
International Programme Office: the Institute of Urban Environment (IUE) of
the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xiamen, China. Dr Franz Gatzweiller
is appointed as the new Executive Director.
Launch of the International Programme Office: December 2014.
Interdisciplinary science programme on Health
and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban
Environment: a Systems Analysis Approach.

21. 1. Sustainable development
1.1 Sustainable Energy
1.2 Disaster Risk reduction
1.3 Biodiversity & Indigenous knowledge
1.4 Health and wellbeing
2. Mathematics and Science education