From Barbados to London: Advancing science diplomacy and international cooperation

The IIASA delegation also included Anne Goujon, IIASA Population and Just Societies Program Director; Reinhard Mechler, Systemic Risk and Resilience Research Group Leader in the IIASA Advancing Systems Analysis Program; and Ibrahim Tahri from the IIASA Economic Frontiers Research Group.

In discussions with Barbadian government representatives, including Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science, and Technology, Jonathan Reid, the delegation explored the country's ambitious plans to transform its economy and society by 2050, and become a “science-led” society. These include diversifying beyond tourism, building climate resilience, compute capacity and developing new opportunities in biotechnology, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and the blue/green economy.

The visit included discussions with government officials, visits to infrastructure projects, and meetings with representatives of the University of the West Indies, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and the British High Commission.

Several potential areas for research collaboration emerged, including climate resilience, sustainable energy transitions, population dynamics and migration, and socioeconomic modeling to guide long-term investment decisions. Specific possibilities discussed included research on pathways away from fossil fuels, the wider economic and social benefits of resilience investments, and the implications of demographic change, migration and technological innovation.

"Barbados has set out an ambitious vision for its future, and what makes this particularly interesting from an IIASA perspective is the interconnected nature of the challenges and opportunities involved. Our discussions demonstrated the potential for systems analysis to help bring together different policy priorities, assess trade-offs, and support evidence-based decisions. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with our Barbadian partners as we explore how IIASA's research can contribute to this vision," notes Susie.

The mission also helped advance discussions on Barbados' prospective IIASA membership and longer-term cooperation with national and regional research institutions in the Caribbean.