Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: Evidence From Latin America

Latin America (LA) being surrounded by the turbulent international context and in the midst of deep internal transformations could significantly change its form of insertion in the global economy and face its internal demands through the use of science and technology (S&T) to achieve sustainable development (SD). The region seeks to achieve SD in the hopes that it will strengthen their economy, improve the quality of life, reveal solutions to urgent problems and guarantee the protection of the environment and the sustainable use of their natural resources. Scholars have discussed the existing of a gap between S&T and SD and at the same time have emphasized the impact that these two areas have on the economy. In this sense, the concept of S&T for SD has received great attention over the years especially from the international community. Nonetheless, very few studies focused on Latin region have been found in the context of addressing the gap between S&T and SD. Through this research we intend to focus on four case studies to discover whether S&T policies in the LA region are aligned with the goals and policies of SD. We expect to find answers that will help provide solutions to close or reduce the gap and give recommendations to improve the policies in the region.