China’s Progress and Global Challenges: New Report Reveals Big Earth Data’s Role in Achieving UN 2030 Agenda

In a bold move to accelerate the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through technology innovation, the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) has unveiled the “Big Earth Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals Report (2024)”. Presented during the Summit of the Future at the 79th United Nations General Assembly from September 22-23, the report offers a visionary roadmap for harnessing Big Earth Data to advance the Global Development Initiative and align with the UN’s "Pact with Future". This publication is now available to global representatives and has been officially launched on the UN website.

The report uses multi-source satellite remote sensing data and AI algorithms to quantitatively assess seven SDGs globally and 227 SDG indicators in China. It reveals that China has already achieved 126 indicators (55.5%) ahead of schedule of the UN 2030 Agenda. Additionally, the report predicts the 2030 status for the seven SDGs that this report focuses on and all environmental indicators. The result shows that based on the current trend, China is likely to meet or come close to achieving SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by 2030.

Despite modest global progress on some indicators, the report reveals China’s significant contribution to industrial energy conservation and emission reduction, renewable energy development, and ecological restoration. From 2017 to 2021, the number of industrial heat sources globally decreased by 9.05%, with China contributing 33.61% of this reduction. Between 2000 and 2023, the global deployment of offshore wind power saw significant growth, with China being the main driving force. By the end of 2023, China’s cumulative installed capacity of offshore wind power accounted for approximately 50% of the global total. Over the past decade, global land productivity showed a general decline, with 7.27% of land showing decreased productivity. During the same period, China saw a net increase in land productivity, with a total net increase of 467,100 km², ranking first globally in net productivity gains.

China has also made strides in agricultural water resource management and drinking water safety, public transportation accessibility, energy saving and emission reduction, and marine pollution reduction, among others. The implementation of “Internet + Rural Water Supply” model has effectively improved the drinking water safety for over 62 million rural residents in China. From 2006 to 2020, China's energy intensity cumulatively decreased by 42.5%. In 2022, the proportion of population with convenient access to public transportation in China reached 90%. In 2020, China’s carbon intensity cumulatively decreased by about 48.4% compared to 2005. From 2018 to 2023, micro-plastic pollution levels in the Yellow Sea ecological zone were moderate to low.

Evaluating global progress towards the SDGs faces significant challenges due to issues with data quality and access. Comparable international data for all 17 SDGs is not available worldwide; in fact, internationally comparable data is available for only nine of the 17 SDGs and only for around half of all countries, with noticeable disparities in data timeliness. Big Earth Data, integrating satellite remote sensing, statistical surveys, internet sources, and basic geographic information, has emerged as an effective method for comprehensive SDG progress assessment and for addressing data gaps.

In addressing these gaps, the report introduces, for the first time, global dataset for water storage in large lakes from 2000 to 2021 and changes in groundwater storage from 2003 to 2023, filling the data gap for SDG 6.6.1 regarding global surface and groundwater storage.

In terms of innovative methods, the report developed a random forest-based machine learning model to predict the future local climate effects in urban areas under different socio-economic and emission scenarios. This model forecasts the impact of these climate changes on the exposure of urban populations to extreme humid heat, revealing that global climate change is the main driving factor.

The report emphasizes the importance of enhanced data sharing to bolster global sustainable development. It highlights the advantages of China’s Sustainable Development Science Satellite 1 (SDGSAT-1) in monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators. Through the "SDGSAT-1 Open Science Program," more than 100 countries are now utilizing this satellite data.

Additionally, the report utilizes Big Earth Data to monitor and assess the unique challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The research reveals that over the past 30 years, fluctuations in heat stress causing coral bleaching in SIDS have increased. The frequency, intensity, and duration of both marine and land heatwaves have intensified, with the exposed population in one-third of these countries increasing by more than 30%. The report emphasizes that the international community must take further measures to help SIDS strengthen their overall capacity to cope with climate change challenges.

The report received widespread recognition for its practical approach to guiding efforts towards achieving SDGs. The President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, praised the report for providing scientists and policymakers with clear, and actionable information. He highlighted that data-based monitoring and evaluation enhance our understanding of future challenges, thereby guiding the UN 2030 Agenda and subsequent actions.

Ms. Rughoobur from the Mauritius Statistics Bureau and Mr. Duguman from the Department of National Planning and Monitoring of Papua New Guinea emphasized the report’s significance for SIDS, noting that it offers innovative data support crucial for sustainable development in these countries.

Professor Guo Huadong, Director-General of CBAS, emphasized, “With just six years left to achieve the UN 2030 Agenda, 2024 marks a critical year for the global community to accelerate progress through technological innovation, global cooperation, and policy reform.

He further highlighted, “For six consecutive years, our research team has released annual reports and developed sustainable development data products to support SDG monitoring and evaluation. This represents a key contribution by Chinese scientists to advancing research, informing decision-making, and promoting global sustainability.”

Guo concluded by saying, "Our work provides policymakers with precise, data-driven insights on key indicators, helping them create evidence-based policies and allocate resources effectively. It also offers powerful tools for tracking SDG progress and evaluating the impact of these policies. We believe that continued innovation, especially in science and technology, will further accelerate progress toward achieving the SDGs."

A  press conference for the report held  in Beijing on September 25, 2024. (Image by CBAS)

Prof. GUO Huadong presents the report. (Image by CBAS)