TÜBA Represented Türkiye at the G20-Science20 Summit
TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker represented Türkiye at the Science20 (S20) Meeting held in Washington, which brought together the national academies of sciences of the G20 countries. Hosted this year by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the meeting’s main theme was “Strengthening Resilience to Natural Hazards Through Emerging Technologies and International Collaboration.”
TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker represented Türkiye at the Science20 (S20) Meeting, held in Washington, D.C., under the title “Strengthening Resilience to Natural Hazards Through Emerging Technologies and International Collaboration,” which brought together the national academies of sciences of G20 countries.
The opening remarks at the meeting, which was also attended by TÜBA Full Member Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas, were delivered by Marcia McNutt, President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and John Hildebrand, its International Secretary.
In the program’s first session, a total of 18 national academies, institutions, and organizations participated, including the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, TÜBA, the African Union, the Argentine National Academy of Sciences, Physics, and Natural Sciences, the Australian Academy of Science, the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the French Academy of Sciences, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the National Academy of Sciences of India, the Indonesian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Italy (Accademia dei Lincei), the Science Council of Japan, the Mexican Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, and the European Academy—discussed the main topic of the meeting.
“Natural Hazards Are Inevitable, but Disasters Are Not”
Speaking at the meeting, TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker noted that Türkiye has experienced severe disasters over the past thirty years—such as the Marmara Earthquake, major forest fires, and the February 6 earthquakes—and emphasized that these events have provided Türkiye with valuable experience. “Natural hazards are inevitable. Disasters, however, are not. This is the fundamental distinction that science makes possible,” said Şeker, highlighting the importance of scientific knowledge, technology, and institutional capacity in disaster management. Noting that Türkiye updated its earthquake regulations, implemented mandatory earthquake insurance, and consolidated disaster management under the umbrella of AFAD following the 1999 Marmara Earthquake, President Şeker emphasized that urban transformation efforts also play a critical role in reducing disaster risks
First Recommendation: Common Data Standards Must Be Established
In his speech, Prof. Şeker evaluated the roadmap outlined in the S20 Declaration to enhance resilience against disasters and listed five fundamental tasks that science academies must undertake. He identified the first of these as data quality and open standards, noting that in a world where disasters know no borders, data must also transcend borders. President Şeker stated, “If one country uses seismic data in one format and its neighbor uses a different format, early warning systems will fail. Science academies must take the lead in establishing common data standards.”
Second Recommendation: Technologies Must Function Under Real-World Conditions
Emphasizing that technologies used in disaster management must be functional not only in a laboratory setting but also during crises, Şeker highlighted the importance of developing systems capable of operating even when internet and energy infrastructure are damaged. Şeker stated that science academies are the most suitable institutions to bridge the gap between engineering solutions and the real needs of communities.
Third Recommendation: Local Knowledge Should Be Evaluated Alongside Scientific Data
Highlighting the importance of artificial intelligence and satellite technologies, Prof. Şeker said that the experience and knowledge possessed by local communities are also an integral part of disaster management. Noting that while a satellite can show flood-prone areas, it is the local people who know which route a village should take to reach a safe area, Şeker emphasized the need to evaluate local knowledge alongside scientific data.
Fourth Recommendation: Inequalities in Disaster Resilience Must Be Reduced
Şeker pointed out that the countries most affected by natural disasters are often those that face the greatest challenges in accessing advanced technologies. He stated that a “world moving at two different speeds” regarding disaster resilience must not be allowed to emerge, and noted that science academies have a responsibility to highlight these inequalities and support open-access policies.
Fifth Recommendation: Technology Cannot Replace Human Reasoning
In the final section of his speech, Prof. Şeker emphasized that technology is a tool and cannot replace people or institutions, noting that an unreliable early warning system or an ignored forecast has no meaning on its own. He underscored that science academies must not only research the development of technology but also investigate how societies trust risk information and act upon it.
“Resilience Is Not a Product, but a Process That Is Built Over Time”
Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker noted that Türkiye is ready to share the lessons it has learned from major disasters with the international scientific community, stating that resilience against disasters is not a product that can be purchased, but a process built over many years. Şeker concluded his speech by saying, “We have science. We have technology. We have this strong network of scientific academies. What we need now is willpower,” he said, concluding his remarks.