UN creates new scientific advisory board

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced Thursday the establishment of a new scientific advisory board.

The board will advise on breakthroughs in science and technology as well as how to harness the benefits of those advancements and mitigate potential risks, according to a statement from his office.

''Scientific and technological progress can support efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals-but they are also giving rise to ethical, legal and political concerns that require multilateral solutions,'' said Guterres.

The board will be comprised of seven eminent scholars alongside the chief scientists of UN System entities, the Secretary-General's envoy on technology and the rector of the United Nations University.

It will be associated with a network of diverse scientific institutions from across the world, it said, and will provide independent insights on trends at the intersection of science, technology, ethics, governance and sustainable development.