Public Good or Private Gain?

Reclaiming science for sustainable development

Testing for malaria, using light from a solar lantern Public Good or Private Gain, a conference on reclaiming science for sustainable development, was held at Regent's College in London on 11 November 2004.

Speeches and presentations, together with full transcriptions of all discussion sessions, are available to read online.

download Democratising Technology, ITDGPractical Action's discussion paper on technology democracy, published at the conference, looks at nine examples of "democratising technology", examining lessons to be learnt and issues for the future and identifying the principles of democratic technology.

Download a full transcript of the day's proceedings suitable for printing (PDF, 68 pages, 1.3Mb)

Science and technology, be they the wheel or genetics, have shaped our lives and changed our world. Yet the benefits of these advancements are slow to reach those who really need them. Two centuries after the first vaccine a quarter of all children born every year – 34 million infants – are not protected against diseases for which there are inexpensive vaccines.

In an increasingly globalised world science and technology are at a crossroads. Will they meet the needs of the poor in the South? Or will they forever bow to the wants of the rich in the North?

The rate of scientific and technological development is accelerating, outstripping society's ability to regulate it. Development is now increasingly in the hands of a select few corporate players who can afford to fund research, and public confidence in science is at a low ebb.

This year has seen several important initiatives linking science, society and poverty reduction.

  • The Parliamentary Science and Technology Select Committee is enquiring into the use of science in UK international development policy
  • The Department for International Development decides to appoint a Chief Scientist
  • The World Bank launched the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology
  • The Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering has advised the Government to regulate the development of nanotechnologies

If science and technology are to regain public trust and transform our lives for the good, then society needs to take more control. This conference sought to address the question of how to re-direct science and technology for the public good, poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Speeches and presentations

All speeches and presentations are now available to read online, with full transcripts of both morning and afternoon discussion sessions.

Opening address: Reclaiming science for sustainable development
Cowan Coventry, Chief Executive, ITDGPractical Action
(speech as HTML | presentation as Flash 474k)

Science and technology for all

Chair: Professor Kathy Sykes, Bristol University

Sir David KingScience and technology’s contribution to humanity: the UK perspective
Sir David King, UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser
(transcript of speech as HTML | presentation in Flash format, 172k | questions to Sir David King and discussion)

Dato’ Ir Lee Yee-CheongScience, technology and innovation: meeting the needs and uplifting the human condition of the poor
Dato’ Ir. Lee Yee-Cheong, President-Elect, World Federation of Engineering Organisations; Coordinator, UN Millennium Project Task Force on Science, Technology and Innovation
(paper as PDF, 134k | paper as HTML | questions)

Chee Yoke LingTechnology choices: putting people first
Chee Yoke Ling, Legal Adviser, Third World Network
(transcript of speech as HTML | questions)

Questions to Dato' Ir. Lee Yee-Cheong and Chee Yoke Ling, and discussion on the morning presentations

Making it happen: what needs to be done

Panel discussion, chaired by Professor Kathy Sykes, followed by questions and answers :

See-through science
James Wilsdon, Head of Strategy, Demos
(transcript of speech as HTML | presentation in Flash format, 1Mb)

Dr Vishaka HidellagePublic involvement in decision-making: stories of encouragement from South Asia and challenges
Dr Vishaka Hidellage , Director, ITDGPractical Action South Asia
(paper in HTML format)

Professor Judi WakhunguPublic participation in science and technology policy-making: experiences from Africa
Professor Judi Wakhungu, Executive Director, African Centre for Technology Studies
(transcript of speech as HTML | presentation in Flash format, 104k)

Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP

A four-point agenda for change
Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP, former Environment Minister
(speech as HTML)

Full transcript of the afternoon discussion, with questions and comments from the audience and responses from the panel.

Concluding remarks: Andrew Scott, ITDGPractical Action

Download a full transcript of the day's proceedings suitable for printing (PDF, 68 pages, 1.3Mb)

Location

Regent's College, LondonPublic Good or Private Gain? was held at the Regent's College Conference Centre in London.

Regent's College is based in Regent's Park. Baker Street is the nearest Underground station. This is on the District and Circle, Jubilee, Bakerloo and Metropolitan lines, and is about five minutes walk from the college.

Regent's College is located in Regent's Park, five minutes walk from Baker Street underground station