The scientific heritage of Milan Expo 2015

CLAUDIA SORLINI

Past full professor of Agricultural Microbiology – University of Milan

President of Milan’s Expo 2015 Scientific Committee

Abstract

The Universal Exposition of Milano 2015, dedicated to the theme ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’ has been a great media event. The issues of agriculture, food, health were thoroughly highlighted, along with the urgent need of preserving the endangered natural resources, and dealing with the social injustice widely spread in the planet.


The Universal Exposition of Milano 2015, dedicated to the theme ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’ has been a great media event. The issues of agriculture, food, health were thoroughly highlighted, along with the urgent need of preserving the endangered natural resources, and dealing with the social injustice widely spread in the planet.

 

The exposition has also benefited from the happy coincidence with some great international events on similar themes, such as the launch of the UN Millennium Goals ‘for a sustainable development (2015-2030)’, the COP21 Paris Conference on the Climate Change, and finally the Encyclical Letter ‘Laudato Sì’ of Pope Francis. To those important events we have to add also the involvement of the European Union in supporting the research on healthy food and environmental sustainability. The final document of the EU Scientific Steering Committee, set up for EXPO,  proposed to establish a world scientific Authority against hunger, supporting UN strategies (1). This concentration of great events led to many programs and commitments  which certainly the citizens have been aware of: let’s hope that the governments wi ...