Budapest, Nov 11 (Xinhua) Scientists and politicians must join forces to achieve sustainable development and support each other in the process, Nobel laureate Werner Arber said at an international science forum here.
Science is capital that can be used not only for current development but also for assessing long-term effects, Arber, who was also the co-chair of the World Science Forum council, said at the closing ceremony of the event Saturday, state news agency MTI reported.
Arber, 78-year-old Swiss microbiologist, was the winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1978 for his work in molecular genetics.
Scientists and decision-makers from more than 60 countries attended the three-day forum, which was dedicated to the theme: Investing in knowledge, investing in the future.
Hungarian parliament speaker Katalin Szili said at the forum that investment in knowledge is not cheap but it guarantees success and, therefore, politicians must pay special attention to scientists and academics.
Decision-makers should provide the conditions for the dissemination of knowledge and encourage innovation, she said.
Tibor Draskovics, Hungary’s Minister without Portfolio in charge of public administration, said it was politicians’ responsibility to strengthen global institutional systems and regulations to address the greatest challenge of the day — climate change.
International forums should send scientific data to politicians so that they can make the necessary decisions, he added.