During the 2014 – 2017 quadrennial (37 C/5), and in pursuance of the proposed strategic objectives, Major Programme II has concentrated on achieving the following programme priority areas:
Main Line of Action 1: Strengthening STI policies, governance and the science-policy-society interface.
- STI policies and governance bolstered nationally, regionally and globally.
- Science-policy interface enhanced and sustainability science promoted.
- Mutual engagement of science with society reinforced to promote equity and inclusion of vulnerable groups, including SIDS and indigenous peoples.
Main Line of Action 2: Building institutional capacities in science and engineering
- Capacity-building in research and education in the natural sciences enhanced, including through the use of ICTs.
- Interdisciplinary engineering research and education for sustainable development advanced.
Main Line of Action 3: Promoting knowledge and capacity for protecting and sustainably managing the ocean and coasts.
- Scientific understanding of ocean and coastal processes bolstered and used by Member States to improve the management of the human relationship with the ocean.
- Risks and impacts of ocean-related hazard reduced, climate change adaptation and mitigation measures taken, and policies for healthy ocean ecosystems developed and implemented by Member States.
- Member States’ institutional capacities reinforced to protect and sustainably manage ocean and coastal resources
Main Line of Action 4: Fostering international science collaboration for earth systems, biodiversity, and disaster risk reduction.
- Global cooperation in the ecological and geological sciences expanded and UNESCO designated sites used as learning places for sustainable development.
- Risk reduction improved, early warning of natural hazards strengthened and disaster preparedness and resilience enhanced.
Main Line of Action 5: Strengthening freshwater security
- Responses to local, regional and global water security challenges strengthened.
- Knowledge, innovation, policies and human and institutional capacities for water security strengthened through improved international cooperation.
The roll-out of these Main Lines of Action has been through the direct implementation of programmes by the UNESCO Field Office in Ghana as well as the inter-governmental committees of the National Commission for UNESCO.
Inter-Governmental Committees of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO The inter-governmental committees of the Commission for UNESCO in the field of Natural Sciences are:
i. The Man and Biosphere (MAB) National Committee
ii. The National International Hydrology Programme (IHP)
iii. The National Inter-Governmental Oceanographic Commission
Other intergovernmental committees that the National Commission is yet to establish are the International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP), International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP).