Symposia

Big Data for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals

10 13, 2021

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development entered its "Decade of Action" in 2020. However, its implementation still faces several constraints, such as lack of data, insufficient research on indicator systems, and uneven progress in its implementation. Among these, the need for data and methods is the most important and urgent.

Scientific and technological innovations play an important role in providing solutions to several of these challenges. Therefore, the United Nations initiated the "Technology Facilitation Mechanism" (TFM) to promote and improve technological and scientific support for policy interventions and decision support systems towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). China in recent years has increased its reliance on science, technology, and innovation to promote economic and social development and is implementing new strategies consistent with and complementary to its commitments to the UN SDGs. One of the key avenues within China's strategy is to improve its capacity to analyze and utilize data for scientific and technological progress through a strong focus on research on big data and its integration with data from different natural and social science domains. This approach encompasses land, ocean, atmosphere, urban settlements, and human activity and holds immense potential for new solutions towards the SDGs. The UN Secretary-General has also emphasized better use of data, and harnessing science, technology, and innovation with a greater focus on digital transformation.

During his address at the 75th UN General Assembly on 22 September 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China will set up an International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) to support the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The inauguration ceremony of CBAS & the opening ceremony of the 2021 International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals were successfully held in Beijing, China on September 6-8, 2021. The theme of the Forum was 'Big Data for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals', which was hosted by CAS, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), organized by CBAS, the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR), CAS, and the Big Earth Data Science Engineering Program (CASEarth).

It was supported by 11 institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC, the China Association for Science and Technology, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO), the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the Committee on Data of the International Science Council (CODATA), the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE), Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), the International Center on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO, and the Digital Belt and Road Program (DBAR). It was also co-organized by 46 units, including the Chinese National Committee of the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE), Pan-Eurasian Experiment (PEEX), and so on. Nearly 800 representatives of scientific research institutions, universities and international organizations from over 50 countries around the world attended the ceremony online and on-site.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Inauguration Ceremony of CBAS & Opening Ceremony of the 2021 International Forum on Big Data for SDGs (FBAS), for the successful establishment of CBAS, the first international scientific research center on Big Data serving the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with big data. Vice-Premier LIU He attended the ceremony, read the congratulatory letter from Chinese President XI Jinping, and inaugurated CBAS together with CAS President HOU Jianguo and other department heads.

The three-day conference included the opening and closing ceremonies, CBAS inauguration ceremony, keynote speeches, special sessions, technical sessions, and exhibitions. Several notable participants including Hou Jianguo (President of CAS and Secretary of the CPC Leading Group), Wang Zhigang (Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology of PRC), Li Xiaohong (President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering), Zhang Yuzhuo (Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and Vice President of the China Association for Science and Technology), Bai Chunli (President of ANSO), Yin Hejun (Vice President of CAS and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Leading Group), Xu Guanhua (the academician of CAS), YinYanlin (Deputy Director of General Office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs), Meng Yang (Deputy Secretary General of the General Office of the State Council of PRC), Ma Zhaoxu (Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC), Zhao Chenxi (Member of the CPC Leadership Group and Secretary General of NDRC), Li Jinghai (President of NSFC), Wen Jianwu (Chief Engineer of the National Bureau of Statistics of China), Gong Ke (President of WFEO), Zhang Yaping (Vice President of CAS), Zhang Tao (Vice President of CAS), and other responsible comrades from relevant central and state departments, representatives of embassies of relevant countries in China and UN organizations and representatives of academicians and experts in Beijing.

CAS President Hou Jianguo presided over the inauguration ceremony of CBAS and opening ceremony of the Forum, CAS Vice President Zhang Tao presided over the remaining program of the opening ceremony, and CAS Vice President Zhang Yaping presided over the opening ceremony of the 'Exhibition on Big Earth Data Facilitating the Monitoring and Evaluation of SDGs'.

The opening ceremony also presented recorded video messages from the UN Secretary_General Antonio Guterres, UN Under-Secretary-General Liu Zhenmin, Inger Andersen (Under-Secretary-General of UN and Executive Director of UNEP), and Ibrahim Thiaw (Under-Secretary-General of UN and Executive Secretary of UNCCD) expressing their sincere congratulations on the establishment of CBAS and the opening of the Forum. In addition to these UN officials, Yana Gevorgyan (Executive Director of GEO Secretariat), Barend Mons (President of CODATA), and Alessandro Annoni (President of ISDE) also delivered video speeches. Bai Chunli (President of ANSO) and Xu Guanhua (Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the 2021 International Forum on Big Data for SDGs (FBAS) also gave important remarks on the establishment of CBAS. This conference is the first international conference on big data for sustainable development held in China, which will now be held regularly every year.

The attached executive report has been drafted to provide a comprehensive and systematic summary of the first Forum, summarize the results of the conference, share work experience, and explore the characteristics of the conference, thereby rendering references for the convening of the conference series in the future.

Find out more on FBAS 2021 from Executive Report of 2021 International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals.

Download Executive Report of FBAS 2021 


Download: