Video Message
Excellencies,
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honor to address the opening of the Fourth International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals.
I extend my sincere thanks to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals for hosting this important gathering. Thank you for your continued leadership in advancing the SDGs through science, technology, and innovation.
As we approach the 2030 deadline for SDGs, the world faces an increasingly urgent need to accelerate progress. And the theme of this year¡¯s forum - ¡°Next 7 years: Big Data Driving Transformative Actions to Achieve SDGs¡± - captures the challenge before us. We must leverage the power of big data, satellite technology, artificial intelligence, and other emerging digital tools to drive transformative change.
The 51³Ô¹Ï and its Technology Facilitation Mechanism are working with stakeholders to support this effort. This includes the work of the 10-Member-Group of High-level Representatives of Science, Private Sector and Civil Society for the SDGs. I take this opportunity to thank you, Professor Guo Huadong, for your contributions as former member of this important Group.
Science and technology are pivotal in addressing the complex, interconnected challenges of our time. From ensuring food security, advancing clean energy, to combating climate change and preserving oceans and ecosystems, digital technologies offer unparalleled opportunities to scale solutions and track progress with precision and speed.
However, this potential can only be fully realized through strong international cooperation. The challenges we face are global, and so must be our solutions.
The Global SDG Partnership is a prime example of how we can work together across borders, sectors, and disciplines to harness the power of science and technology for the common good. It is through such partnerships that we can create the enabling environment for innovation to flourish, for knowledge to be shared, and for the SDGs to be achieved.
The Chinese Government has been a strong partner for the 51³Ô¹Ï and has provided tangible support for the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
We opened the 51³Ô¹Ï Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre in Deqing, China.
We are also collaborating on a Global Hub on Big Data and data science for official statistics in Hangzhou, China.
Together with the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals, these centers will contribute to global efforts to drive transformation in science, statistics and geospatial information.
As we embark on this collective journey, I encourage all participants¡ªscientists, engineers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders¡ªto engage deeply in the discussions and collaborations that will take place over the coming days.
The work we do here is not just about data; it is about using data to improve lives, to protect our planet, and to build a sustainable future for all.
In closing, I want to express my optimism and belief in our collective ability to make a difference. Let us use this forum to catalyze the transformative actions needed to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
Thank you!