尊敬的王希勤 副主任 (Mr. Wang Xiqin, Deputy Director, National Natural Science Foundation of China),

Distinguished Irina Bokowa, former Director General of UNESCO,

Distinguished Ambassdor Csaba Körösi, President of the 77th UN General Assembly,

Ladies and gentlemen, 各位来宾，女士们，先生们，

I am delighted to join you for this 4th International Forum on Big Data for the SDGs.

很荣幸代表联合国开发计划署，参加第四届可持续发展大数据国际论坛。

We gather at a critical time in our journey towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The world is grappling with multiple interconnected crises—rising inequalities, climate disasters, escalating conflicts, and economic uncertainty - stalling progress on almost every SDG.

Only 17 percent of the global goals are currently on track to meet their 2030 targets[i] and the all-important Goal 13 on Climate Action is even facing regression. Importantly also, the Asia-Pacific region is not expected to achieve the goals until 2062— 32 years beyond our original deadline.[ii]

The urgency to accelerate progress can, therefore, not be overstated.

However, within this urgency lies an opportunity—an opportunity to harness the power of big data to support countries and communities to embark on sustainable development pathways.

In 2020 alone, 64.2 zettabytes of data were created globally—a staggering 314 percent increase from just five years earlier.[iii] This rapid growth in data, fueled by emerging technologies, can be leveraged to inform and transform society, protect our planet, and drive progress toward the SDGs.

And nowhere is the rapid growth of digital technology more evident than here in China, where its scale and speed are nothing short of extraordinary. In a remarkably brief period, China has evolved into one of the world’s largest digital economies, with over a billion internet users and an expansive digital infrastructure.

But for data to be a force multiplier for development, it must be representative, interoperable, and accessible.

Big data is not merely a tool; it is the lifeblood of informed decision-making. Yet, many organizations and governments, especially in developing nations, lack sufficient and timely access to high-quality data sources, excluding millions of people from decisions and policies.

As we discuss big data’s potential, we must ensure that it includes everyone.