The Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Science of South Africa, the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Indian National Science Academy, academies of the BRICS countries signed the BRICS Academies of Sciences Beijing Declaration on Big Data for Sustainable Development on June 16.

Science, technology, and innovation (STI) are vital driving forces to tackle global challenges and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The BRICS Academies of Sciences recognize the contribution of big data to the evidence-based policymaking towards sustainable development, and further emphasize the importance of strengthening STI collaboration and data sharing, according to the Declaration. 

The BRICS Academies pledge in the Declaration to strengthen a comprehensive partnership on STI cooperation, especially on big data for sustainable development through various collaborative forms, and give priorities to the fields of Agriculture, Food Security and Poverty Alleviation, Digital Economy, Sustainable Urban and Rural Development, Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Actions and Disaster Reduction. 

Held in Beijing on 26-27 April, the BRICS Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development provided a platform for the BRICS countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in sustainable development. As the important outcome of the Forum, the Declaration will further promote extensive collaboration among the science community in BRICS countries to tackle common challenges of health, climate change and food security etc., and actively contribute to achieving the SDGs.