The BRICS Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development was held both in Beijing and online on April 26, 2022. The two-day event was co-hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), and Indian National Science Academy (INSA). 

ZHANG Yaping, Vice President of CAS, Jonathan Jansen, President of the ASSAf, Luiz Davidovich, President of the ABC, Alexander Sergeev, President of RAS, Narinder Kumar Mehra, Vice President of the INSA, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches in person or virtually. 

This forum will provide an important platform for BRICS scientists, engineers, policy makers and representatives of relevant international organizations to share knowledge, technology, and experience, said ZHANG Yaping in his opening remarks, entrusted by CAS President HOU Jianguo. The forum will also be an effective means for the BRICS science community to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in sustainable development and implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Prof. GUO Huadong, Director General of CBAS (International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals) and Prof. Arutyun I. Avetisyan, Deputy President of RAS both gave their keynote presentations, with the titles of "Big Data in Facilitating Sustainable Development Goals" and "Sustainable Development Model for Big Data Technologies" respectively. 

CBAS released the data products for BRICS countries on the forum, which are expected to provide data support for BRICS countries to carry out research on relevant SDGs.  

The forum held five parallel sessions on topics including food security and poverty alleviation, digital economy, urban development, climate actions and disaster reduction, and biodiversity conservation. 

The BRICS forum was proposed by Chinese President XI Jinping during his remarks at the 13th BRICS Summit last year, aiming to promote sustainable development in BRICS countries through international cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI). 

Representatives of BRICS Academies of South Africa, Brazil, Russia, and India lauded the convening of the forum in their speeches, proposed to boost cooperation in the field of big data for sustainable development, strengthen monitoring and evaluation of sustainable development goals (SDGs), so as to jointly advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The concerted efforts of BRICS Academies will forge a technological toolbox addressing the risks and challenges, promote digital development, build a bridge for the exchanges and communication of BRICS countries, with a common goal of drawing a blueprint for a community with a shared future for mankind, said ZHANG Yaping. 

Scientists from UNESCO Beijing Office, Committee on Data of International Science Council (CODATA), World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC), Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research of Finland, and Climate Change Research Strategies Center under the National Research Council of Thailand attended the forum in person or online. 

The forum was sponsored by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, China Association for Science and Technology, National Natural Science Foundation of China, and was hosted by the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) and the Aerospace Information Research Institute of CAS. 

The forum provided an academic platform for over 400 BRICS scientists, engineers, policy-makes, stakeholders, and representatives from relevant international organizations to explore how to address regional and global challenges to sustainable development and lend impetus to the implementation of UN 2030 Agenda through international cooperation in science, technology, and innovation, especially based on big data. 

A scene of the BRICS forum. (Image by CBAS)