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Prof. Huadong Guo
Director-General, International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals
CV
Guo Huadong is Director General of the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS), and a professor of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Aerospace Information Research Institute. He is an Academician of CAS, a Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a Foreign Member of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), and a Fellow of the International Science Council (ISC). He presently serves as Honorary President of the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE), Director of the International Center on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage under the Auspices of UNESCO, Member of the ISC Global Commission on Science Missions for Sustainability, Chair of Digital Belt and Road Program (DBAR), and Editor-in-Chief of two scientific journals International Journal of Digital Earth and Big Earth Data. He served as Member of UN 10-Member Group to support the Technology Facilitation Mechanism for SDGs (2018-2021), Chairman of the International Committee of Remote Sensing of Environment (2017-2020), President of ISDE (2015-2019) and ICSU Committee on Data for Science and Technology (2010-2014). Prof. Guo specializes in remote sensing, radar for Earth observation, and Digital Earth science. He has published more than 500 papers and 24 books, and is the awardee of 20 international and domestic prizes.
Abstract
Abstract:Harnessing Digital Technology to Empower SDG Implementation
Huadong Guo
International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals
Digital technology is an essential resource for addressing sustainability challenges, providing a foundation for innovative solutions. To maximize its potential, it’s crucial to adopt strategies that promote, facilitate, and integrate the use of expanding big data. Leveraging digital tools to foster interdisciplinary science, aligning policy and decision-making with these advancements, and embedding digital resources into social, economic, and environmental frameworks are vital steps toward achieving global sustainable development.
With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) timeline well past the halfway mark and many targets lagging, it is imperative for the scientific community and policymakers to identify priority goals that align with national policies and are feasible to achieve. Enhancing capacities and infrastructure to address these selected goals will be essential to sustain progress beyond the 2030 deadline. By concentrating efforts on achievable objectives through innovative approaches, we can foster lasting impact.
The International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS), established on September 6, 2021, is the first international scientific organization focused on utilizing big data to support the UN’s 2030 Agenda. CBAS promotes data sharing, provides scientific and technological support, and offers decision-making assistance for UN agencies and member states. Its mission includes developing a comprehensive big data platform for SDGs, launching research on SDG indicators, operating SDG-focused satellites, establishing think tanks, driving scientific innovation, and offering training to developing countries.
Big Earth Data, a specialized category of big data with spatial attributes, holds unique potential for enhancing SDG implementation through advancements in science, technology, and innovation. By integrating geospatial and remote sensing data, Big Earth Data enriches other data forms with geographical and spatial context. This approach can be incorporated, following thorough vetting, into national metrics to assess sustainability or evaluate the social and environmental impacts of economic policies on SDGs. CBAS has published numerous reports since 2019 that explore digital solutions, including Big Earth Data applications, for SDG monitoring and analysis. With over 200 case studies demonstrating digital technology’s contributions to sustainability, CBAS offers substantial expertise and actionable insights that can advance SDG efforts both nationally and globally.
In regions with limited capacity, enhancing access to both talent and resources is crucial to realizing the potential of digital technology for sustainable development. Building systems that provide knowledge access and foster grassroots collaboration is an essential step in this direction. To support this, CBAS has proposed a community-driven framework for digital public goods for SDGs within the UN framework, supported by National Statistical Offices. Such systems not only facilitate knowledge sharing but also encourage local and international partnerships.
Data and information platforms are also essential for providing scientists, policymakers, and the public with accessible data, enabling informed decision-making and community participation in sustainability initiatives. By strengthening trust and collaboration among international stakeholders, these platforms foster coordinated responses to global challenges like climate change, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss. Addressing standardization and interoperability challenges will further ensure that data-driven solutions lead to meaningful change.
Equitably and effectively developed digital technologies have the potential to promote transparency, collaboration, and interoperability, enabling early intervention and cohesive responses to sustainability challenges. CBAS, dedicated to advancing the SDGs through digital transformation, is well-positioned to drive significant organizational benefits, actively support the 2030 Agenda, and foster inclusive, sustainable growth that benefits all nations.