CASEarth Participates 4th STI Forum of the United Nations

The 4th annual Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) was held at the UN Headquarters in New York from May 14 to 15. The theme of the STI Forum 2019 was “STI for ensuring inclusiveness and equality,” with a special focus on SDGs 4, 8, 10, 13, and 16. Nearly a thousand participants from over 50 countries and international organizations attended the forum.
Academician GUO Huadong, a member of the 10-Member Group to Support the Technology Facilitation Mechanism and the Head of CASEarth presided over the 6th session – STI for Inclusive and Equitable Societies. In his summary, he pointed out that the SDG 10 (Reducing inequalities) and 16 (Peace, justice, and strong institutions) are of great significance in the global sustainable development initiative, especially the construction of effective multi-stakeholder collaboration mechanisms and applying advanced technology such as big data and artificial intelligence to support the high-level decision-making process. Taking the research carried out by CASEarth as an example, he expounded the relationship among population distribution, urbanization and economic development in the issue of inequality.
The Big Earth Data for SDGs report prepared by the SDG working group of CASEarth was presented on the forum to introduce the achievements of CASEarth, and it received wide attention and recognition of representatives of the UN, all participating countries and international organizations. Focusing on how CASEarth supports the realization of the SDGs and with the principle of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism, the report provides 16 case studies for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land). It demonstrates the strengths of CASEarth in data sources, methodology, and decision-making support in the process of the monitoring and realization of SDGs, and sets an example for the implementation of the SDGs.
The first STI Forum was held in 2016 and it has been held annually at the UN Headquarters in New York. The 5th STI Forum will be held in May 2020.