Beyond International Technology Innovation Expo 2021 - SDG Summit

(Link to video remarks can be found here.)

Friends,

Distinguished Guests,

I wish to thank you for the opportunity to address you at the SDG Summit of the 2021 Beyond International Technology Innovation Expo.

On behalf of the UN family in China, I congratulate the Organizing Committee and co-founders Mr. Jason Ho and Dr. Gang Lu for their initiative in highlighting the technologies and innovations that are critically needed to address our global challenges.

I also wish to express my gratitude to the UN entities who worked diligently in making this SDG Summit a reality and all the partners of the UN who will be addressing the Summit today.  

We at the UN recognize the importance of equipping people with the skills in science, technology and innovation needed for decent work, entrepreneurship, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

As the UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said, “New and rapidly developing technologies…hold incredible promise for the advancement of human welfare. They also hold the potential to generate more inequality and more violence.”

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterized by the convergence of many emerging technologies, with these advancements bridging our physical, digital, and biological worlds, creating both huge promise and potential peril.

Many of the major drivers of transformation currently affecting global industries are expected to have a significant impact on jobs, ranging from creation to displacement, from heightened productivity to widening skills gaps.

It is expected that more than 65% of children entering primary school today will end up working in completely new jobs that currently do not exist when they enter the workplace 15 years from now.

For policymakers looking to address technological disruption, the choice is clear:

• Increasing investment in education, re-education, and training.
• Promoting advanced manufacturing.
• Fostering sustainable growth through research, development, and international cooperation on the internet, big data, artificial intelligence, and other frontier and disruptive technologies.

Today’s Summit is crucial to facilitate more discussions around sustainable investment, technology & ethics, and its impact on the future of society, and the engagement of start-up enterprises towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

With the world also striving towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and progress in tackling the climate crisis, the SDGs remain a critical blueprint towards achieving a more sustainable and just future, leaving no one behind.

Less than ten years remain to achieve the SDGs in the Decade of Action, and global efforts must accelerate to deliver on the ambitious 2030 Agenda.

This demands greater action and impetus from all stakeholders, including governments, individuals, and businesses.

Business has a fundamental place in our societies, not simply through the depth of its pocketbook, but through its unique influence, expertise, and experience, all of which is seen in the key role they played in designing the SDGs.

Achieving the SDGs is not simply the right thing to do or a public relations tool, but the smart move for businesses in unlocking new markets and the longevity of their operations.

Corporate and organizational success requires stable economies and vibrant societies with healthy, skilled, and educated workers.

With consumers today demanding more than just the cheapest goods and services, sustainable companies and their products and services experience increased brand trust and investor support.

Legislation and regulation will catch up to companies who fail this test, while those that state and prove their credentials in sustainability, time and time again, will be rewarded in the market, thus driving future profitability.

There is money to be made for those who embrace the SDGs and integrate them meaningfully into their business models.

Sustainability ultimately is good for humanity and good for business.

With your support, the UN in China stands ready to renew our collaborations in new partnerships to generate solutions to the SDGs and explore innovations to help achieve the 2030 Agenda.

Businesses along with academia and civil society in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and the world are already answering the call, working closely with the UN University Institute in Macau.

During the Summit, I encourage you to engage with the UN University Institute in Macau, led by their Director, Dr. Jingbo Huang, who act as a key focal point of the UN in China in the Greater Bay Area, for further inspirational ideas and potential collaborations.

I wish you a successful event.