INSA Endorses S20 Joint Statement Ahead of G20 Summit in Miami

The Indian National Science Academy (INSA), an institution of the Department of Science and Technology, has endorsed the Joint S20 Statement brought out by the science academies of the G20 countries. The statement was released on 10 November 2026 under the leadership of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, as part of the Science20 engagement process, in which INSA took an active part through the year.

Where the statement goes next

Drawn up through consultations and written contributions from academies across the G20 nations, the statement is meant to shape discussion inside their own governments. It will also be placed before the G20 before the G20 Summit in Miami, Florida, in December 2026.

What the statement is about

Its subject is the use of advanced technology to prepare for and respond to natural hazards. Heavy rainfall, earthquakes, drought, wildfires and spells of extreme heat and cold are pressing harder on people, ecosystems and economies. The academies point to a set of tools that can sharpen decisions and strengthen preparedness: Earth observation, remote sensing, early warning systems, digital twins, drone technology and artificial intelligence. They add a caution: these tools work only if the gaps in data, infrastructure, technical skill and institutional coordination are closed, and if access to them is fair.

Five areas marked for action

• Better data collection and a clearer understanding of risk, exposure and vulnerability.
• Safe, secure and fair access to data and technology, with common standards and interoperability, while national duties on data governance and privacy are respected.
• Local skills and capacity, through education, training and community engagement, so that technology fits local needs and lasts.
• Stronger human decision-making and governance, with oversight, local validation, transparency and plain communication of risk.
• Wider international and cross-sector collaboration among governments, universities, industry, civil society and global bodies.

The Indian role

The statement holds that technology should add to human expertise rather than take its place, and that resilience needs solutions fitted to each place. INSA says it will carry the recommendations to national stakeholders and bring together scientific experts, research institutions and government agencies, while encouraging interdisciplinary research and exchange on disaster preparedness. The S20 process moves on to the Royal Society, which will lead it in 2027.