In the run-up to the summit of the G20 states in November 2020 to be held in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), the science academies of these countries have presented their joint statement "Foresight: Science for Navigating Critical Transitions". The paper was handed over to the Saudi Arabian G20 presidency on September 26. In their statement, the academies of science emphasize the necessity to consider global challenges in all their complexity and cross-linkage and emphasize the contribution of science to the management of upheavals. The coronavirus pandemic has revealed a lack of foresight and weak points in the areas of health care, economy, social services, and education. The statement was prepared in virtual meetings of the science academies with participation of members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.