Ahead of the G20 Summit on 9-10 September 2023 in New Delhi, India, the National Academies of Sciences of the G20 countries, under the leadership of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), have published a joint statement. Under the overarching theme of “Transformative Science for Sustainable Development”, the academies recommend concrete actions to address challenges in clean energy, holistic health, and the connection between science, society and culture.