Scientists from 80 countries back open science declaration in Beijing

Scientists from 80 countries have adopted the Beijing Science Declaration, a new set of 18 commitments aimed at protecting scientific freedom, setting norms for AI in research and strengthening the role of science in global policymaking. The declaration lands as geopolitics, unequal access and AI are reshaping how research is done and shared.

Why it matters: - The Beijing Science Declaration is a coordinated push to keep research open, collaborative and trusted as geopolitics, AI and unequal access to resources put pressure on the global science system. - The declaration also tries to secure a stronger place for science in future sustainability policy, where signatories say the problem is less a lack of knowledge than getting that knowledge used.

What happened: - Scientists from 80 countries adopted the Beijing Science Declaration in Beijing on Oct. 21, 2026. - The International Science Council and the China Association for Science and Technology convened the declaration. - The declaration sets out 18 commitments covering scientific freedom, AI norms, public trust and science’s role in the next global sustainability agenda.

The details: - The declaration warns that geopolitical shifts, unequal access to scientific resources, capacity gaps and barriers to cooperation are straining the global science system. - Signatories affirm scientific and academic freedom, including the right to cooperate internationally without discrimination or undue interference. - Scientists also commit to upholding research integrity and ethical norms. - The declaration calls for stronger global research networks and shared infrastructure. - It pushes open science and open data, with special attention to capacity-building in under-resourced regions. - On AI, the declaration says the technology could change the pace and paradigm of science itself. - Signatories commit to developing shared norms for AI in research, adapted to different disciplines and designed to protect intellectual property. - The declaration calls for AI governance grounded in scientific evidence. - It says the social sciences should be involved from the outset. - It also calls for international cooperation so AI in science does not widen digital divides. - The declaration says public trust can be weakened by misinformation and disinformation, but also by science that is too detached from society. - Signatories say fragmented, siloed work limits science’s public value. - The declaration calls for transdisciplinary, collaborative research co-designed with the communities it seeks to serve. - Scientists commit to sustained two-way dialogue with the public, including marginalized communities. - The declaration also calls for open communication about uncertainty and clear distinctions between facts, scientific judgments and value choices in public debate. - For the next sustainability agenda, the declaration calls for a “systemic, sustained and institutionalized place for science” in global agenda-setting and policymaking. - It also calls for more opportunities for young scientists to contribute. - Signatories say most Sustainable Development Goals are off track. - They argue the main gap is connecting knowledge to action, not generating more knowledge.

Between the lines: - The declaration reflects a growing concern that science is being pulled between national competition and global collaboration. - Its emphasis on AI, public trust and policy influence suggests the science community sees its own operating model changing, not just its external environment. - The language on marginalized communities and transdisciplinary work signals a shift toward broader definitions of who science serves and how research value is measured.

What's next: - The declaration calls for stronger science-policy-society interfaces as governments shape the next sustainability agenda. - It also points to ongoing work on AI governance, open science and capacity-building, especially in regions with fewer research resources. - The signatories are pressing for science to be embedded earlier and more consistently in decision-making, not added at the end.

The bottom line: - The Beijing Science Declaration is a statement of intent from the global science community: keep science open, govern AI responsibly and make research more central to solving shared problems.