SDSN Belgium engages in the Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community

SDSN Belgium, its partners and leaders took part in the 4th conference of the Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community.

During the two sessions live-streamed from the studios in Brussels and online, 200 world-renowned speakers and sustainability thought leaders, joined by 3700 participants from 140 countries, explored how to leverage technology transformation opportunities beyond the current pandemic. They discussed what is needed to strengthen international cooperation on science and technology, and which key actions are needed to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

Far from undermining the case for the SDGs, the conference concluded that the root causes and uneven impacts of COVID-19 demonstrate precisely the urgency of implementing the 2030 Agenda. COVID-19 is forcing us to design a new area of technological development that balances economic, social and environmental progress to build a greener and more inclusive future.

Read the summary of the 2020 G-STIC discussions.

"The Sustainable Development Goals require deep transformation in our societies, better ways to provide healthcare and education, decarbonizing the energy system, sustainable agriculture and nutrition, sustainable and healthful cities. For all of this, our new technologies, especially digital technologies, provide new opportunities to make dramatic advances for more inclusive societies and for environmental sustainability."

Jeffrey Sachs at the G-STIC

"Due to Covid-19, the intersecting challenges of health, climate and sustainability have never been more clear. This offers a unique opportunity to showcase the impact of technological solutions on the SDGs. Change can happen, and technology is there to enable this."

Dietrich Van Der Weken, General Manager of G-STIC at VITO, a partner of SDSN Belgium

"Science and technology are important to help achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. But they are not sufficient. Hard technology needs to interact and dialogue with soft technology experts, so that hard technologies can be accepted. If they are not accepted, they are useless."

Jean-Pascal van Ypersele from SDSN Belgium and the Professor of climatology and sustainable development sciences at UCLouvain