2023-06-12 08:28:58
In the vortex of debate in public opinion on matters of science, it can be inferred that it does not escape black or white, the good and the bad, the so-called polarization. It seems that there is a science of ours and a science of it, extrapolating what concerns this sector to the entire government, without putting forward that science is a heritage of humanity, thus considered by UNESCO.
From the comments on social networks, especially in the laundromat of the little blue bird, it is also inferred that what is the State and what is a government is unknown, they are not the same; perhaps because since 1929 government, state and its three powers, the federated states, come on, even the flag were all together and the same thing concentrated in the Chief Executive. I have commented on it several times in this column: in Mexico there has not been and does not exist a State policy for science.
When the integration of the supranational State, such as the European Union (EU), was signed, the member countries had to sign a treaty, that of Maastricht. It includes a whole capitulate that was defined as the Europe of Science, and science as a sign of European identity, and they regularly update what they call the “Framework Program”, nothing to do with the treaties that Mexico has signed with the United States Neither the United States nor the EU, neither party took an interest in the matter.
This EU State science policy involves all sectors, all universities, economy, foreign relations, health, public education, finance, population, that is, the entire State. In the case of Spain, an Interministerial Science Commission was established, of which the CSIC (a Conacyt counterpart) is a part and which represents its scientific community. As can be seen, it is not a Conacyt where the State secretariats are represented and a little place for scientists (before and now).
In 2014, most of the funding for scientific research in the EU was pooled under the Horizon 2020 programme, the aim of which was to ensure its competitiveness on a global scale. The current framework program is called Horizon Europe, starting in 2021 and running until 2027.
It consists of promoting leadership in scientific and technological research, industrial leadership and 7 challenges for European society: health, demographic change and well-being; food security, sustainable agriculture, marine, maritime and inland water research, and bioeconomy; safe, clean and efficient energy; intelligent, ecological and integrated transport; climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials; Europe in a changing world (inclusive, innovative and reflective societies); and secure societies (protect freedom, European security and that of its citizens). This is defined by the state.
As it can be compared, in Mexico there has not been before or now a State policy for science. As long as the governments and scientific communities (which are part of the State) are not clear about this, we will continue fighting senselessly and in an exclusive way, before and now as well.
On another occasion I will address the science program of the Chinese State, which in 1949 we were infinitely more developed than them. Today it is displacing the United States and the EU.
*Journalist and science communicator [email protected]
#State #policy #science