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UNESCO Working Group on Open Science Funding and Incentives

 

UNESCO has set up five working groups, each targeting key impact areas crucial for implementing the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science (OS) adopted on 23 November 2021. While the Recommendation affirmed the importance of open science as a vital tool to improve the quality and accessibility of both scientific outputs and scientific processes, these working groups brought together experts and open science entities from various fields and domains to address distinct yet interconnected topics and challenges essential to the implementation of the Recommendation.

View the previous news item: WG on OS Monitoring Framework

On April 30th, 2024, the Working Group on Open Science (OS) Funding and Incentives discussed the Desirability and Feasibility of the Global OS Fund and presented the Multilateral Fund for Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

This working group is tasked with delivering proposals for the OS funding mechanisms and on this meeting the hosts reported on the outcomes of their work to date. It published a Guide for Funding Open Science with the key factors to consider when designing financing programmes. The guide discusses how to design and implement the funding policies and strategies considering the costs associated with the support of OS research, publishing, data and coding practices, the development of the OS infrastructures and services, capacity building of actors and collaborative, and participatory approaches to scientific endeavours. 

Examples presented include the UNESCO World Heritage Fund, the Green Climate Fund, a $13 billion facility, and the Global Environment Facility, a World Bank $25 billion financial mechanism for CBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD, Stockholm, and Minamata Conventions.

The second part of the meeting was dedicated to presenting the Multilateral Fund for Implementation of the Montreal Protocol. The fund is a $4,7 billion facility to help developing countries meet the Montreal Protocol obligations thereby protecting human health and the environment through ozone layer recovery and climate change mitigation.

In conclusion, the participants stated that the existing multilateral and global facilities do not focus on Open Science and, while these may include some of the aspects and principles of Open Science, new facilities should be developed to provide appropriate funding mechanisms.

The next UNESCO Working Group meeting will be held on 15 May 2024. You can register easily using the links below.

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You can easily join the meetings by registering under the links below. 

Upcoming meetings, set to take place virtually, from 2-4 pm, CET:

Recordings, related information, and material:

EOSC FOCUS WP2 | TU Wien for the EOSC Forum