The 2021 Qingdao Forum on International Standardization, held on July 28 in Qingdao, Shandong province, covered international dialogues about standards for sustainable development goals in various fields.
Representatives from the world's most prestigious standards organizations addressed the opening conference of the forum. Here is what they had to say.
Eddy Njoroge, president of the International Organization for Standardization [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
This year's theme, Standards for Sustainable Development Goals, couldn't have come at a better time, when we urgently need to accelerate our joint collaborative efforts in achieving the sustainable development goals.
International standards are a key ingredient and catalyst for achieving the sustainable development goals in a multitude of ways.
Standards provide guidance to all types of organizations, irrespective of their size, scope, or geographical location on implementing, integrating and promoting socially responsible behavior throughout the organization and through its policies and practices, within their wider spheres of influence.
Chaesub Lee, director of ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The sustainable development goals call for global action. We can reinforce this action by working together in international standardization.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of our digital infrastructure and the need for severe improvements of information and communication technology (ICT) services and applications.
The ICT industry continues to transform at an extraordinary pace. All sectors are now transforming with the help of ICTs, different industries are entering new shared space, creating an associated convergence in the responsibilities of different regulatory authorities.
Carlos Watson, FAO Representative to China [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The first target of the second Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger is to end hunger and to ensure access by all, in particular, the poor and the people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.
Achieving this goal by 2030 will require more productive, efficient, sustainable, inclusive, transparent, and resilient food systems.
This will require an urgent transformation of the current agri-food system. Digital innovation and technology may be part of the game changing solution.
In the context of the SDGs, e-agriculture has the potential to deliver economic benefits through increased agricultural productivity, cost efficiency, and market opportunities, social and cultural benefits through increased communications and inclusivity, as well as environmental benefits through optimized resource use and adaptation to climate change.
Elena Santiago, director general of CEN and CENELEC [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
According to the World Bank, after 18 months since COVID-19 started, the global economy is ready for the most robust post-recession recovery in 80 years.
COVID-19 has reminded us the hard way, the essential priority of keeping citizens safe and healthy.
And this must be combined with long-term policies, reinvigorating human capital, expanding access to digital connectivity, and investing in green infrastructure, to bolster growth of along a green, resilient and inclusive path.
It will take global coordination to end the pandemic through widespread vaccination, while taking care of microeconomics to avoid crisis until we get there.
Christoph Winterhalter, CEO of DIN [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The present pandemic has shown that today, more than ever, global efforts are needed not only in overcoming unprecedented, life-threatening situations but also in generally achieving global objectives like those defined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
At their centre are 17 goals, which recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and foster economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
I am extremely glad that ISO has already picked up this idea as part of its implementation plan for its Strategy 2030 in order to define a process for the development of global standardization roadmaps and to identify relevant topics where this complementary strategic planning is needed and initiated as first pilots.
I am sure that some of the SDGs including topics like Smart Farming or Smart City Governance that are on the agenda of this year's Qingdao Forum on International standardization would benefit from such an approach where the ISO, IEC and ITU are working together in a well-coordinated way.
Considering the large experience and strong global influence on international standardization of the People's Republic of China, your commitment and active contribution will be essential for the success of such an activity.
Source：CHINA DAILY-Charming Qingdao
