Office at the United Nations, New York

On April 20, Dr. Janez Potočnik, the European Commissioner for Science and Research paid a visit to UNU-MERIT. He attended the final meeting of his independent advisory body, the 'Knowledge for Growth'-group, in which several UNU-MERIT-linked researchers participated.

At the end of his visit to Maastricht, the EU-Commissioner held a public lecture in which he elaborated on the destructive force but also on the creative opportunities that the global economic crisis brings forward. He linked this to the role of science and research and the importance of 'green'-innovation to combat the crisis. He also made clear that long term solutions should be preferred and prioritised over short-term fixes. Furthermore, the EU-Commissioner stated that the current crisis should not draw the attention away from global challenges like climate change.