WASHINGTON — Today the science academies of the G7 countries released six joint statements to their respective governments to inform discussions during the G7 summit to be held in Puglia, Italy, in June, as well as to offer guidance for ongoing policymaking. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences joined academies from Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom in issuing the statements. 

Drawn up by the academies under the aegis of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in Rome, the statements provide recommendations to their governments related to:

Artificial intelligence and society. AI is reshaping our world, offering numerous benefits but also raising critical concerns that should be addressed through globally coordinated and inclusive governance, the statement says. Policymakers should take steps to ensure that powerful AI systems are protected against cyber and physical attacks; to protect the trustworthiness of AI systems by promoting legally enforced standards for AI-generated content; and to support equity in AI’s future by widening global access to high-performance computing and establishing an intergovernmental research hub, among other actions.

Nuclear arms control. In light of the rise in international tensions and wars, the academies call on the G7 leaders to reaffirm their commitment to achieving a world without nuclear weapons and to take the necessary steps to help the world realize this goal safely and securely. The scientific community can contribute to this goal by developing and communicating the scientific evidence base that shows the catastrophic effects of nuclear warfare on human populations and other species, and by developing means to monitor, detect, and verify agreements. 

Health issues. Actions are needed to combat antimicrobial resistance, bolster national health systems, and mitigate climate change to lessen its impacts on health, the statement says. And considering the weaknesses in health systems and institutional responses revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic, initiatives coordinated on a world scale are needed to identify potential novel pathogens and their natural reservoirs in other species.

Social inequalities and poverty. The academies recommend urgent strengthening of integrated action by the G7 states to combat increased poverty and vulnerability, including within the G7. Agricultural and food policies are needed that ensure the conditions for adequate nutrition for all, especially for children, along with policies to ensure access to robust, sustained infrastructure and services for well-being (e.g. water, food, health, energy, mobility, and accessibility).

Security and safety of agricultural production. Actions are needed to invest in monitoring and rehabilitation of microbial biodiversity in soil; adopt a management model that integrates both traditional and emerging knowledge and technology options; and promote trade patterns that favor sustainable agriculture and food systems, among other steps.

Science and communication of cultural heritage.  The academies call on the G7 nations to seek effective means to promote international collaboration between researchers in the natural and human sciences to enhance the understanding of humankind’s cultural heritage; to counter the theft and illegal trafficking of cultural artifacts; and to play a leading role in disseminating critical awareness of cultural heritage in schools, museums, and other educational institutions by promoting national and international initiatives both within and outside the G7.

The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, engineering, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln. 

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