UN geospatial week in east China spotlights innovation, sustainable development

An aerial drone photo shows people admiring blossoms at a scenic spot in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 13, 2025. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua)

HANGZHOU, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Week 2025 opened on Wednesday in Deqing County of the city of Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.

Themed "Geospatial I.D.E.A.S. Benefiting Our World," the five-day event, running from Oct. 20 to 24, has brought together over 1,000 representatives from UN agencies and more than 60 countries to discuss cooperation, innovation and sustainable development in the geospatial field.

During the opening ceremony, two major initiatives, the Proposal for the Establishment of the World Alliance for Geospatial Information Industry and the Initiative for the Establishment of the Global Alliance for Geospatial Public Goods Innovation, were officially launched.

Li Pengde, director of the UN Global Geospatial Information Knowledge and Innovation Centre, said the event aims to consolidate global consensus and put the spirit of collaborative innovation and knowledge sharing into practice.

"Together, we can move toward a smarter, more resilient and more inclusive future," he said.

The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the start of final five-year stretch before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline. As a key technology supporting global development, security, and climate action -- geospatial information continues to inject fresh momentum into international cooperation.

Bjorg Sandkjaer, assistant secretary-general of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, emphasized the pivotal role of geospatial technologies in addressing global challenges.

"If we work together and make full use of the momentum created by geospatial week, we can move forward steadily," she said. "Geospatial information is our compass -- it provides the knowledge and tools to measure progress."

Speaking on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and geospatial data, Alvaro Monett, regional geospatial advisor at the Statistics Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, said: "The synergy between AI and geospatial technology not only enhances analytical efficiency but also supports more forward-looking and sustainable planning."

Monett added that promoting accessibility and localization of these tools is essential for strengthening regional capacity building and ensuring that digital transformation is inclusive, equitable and sustainable.

Over the past decade, Huzhou has leveraged its Deqing Geographic Information Town to drive industrial innovation and clustering. The area now hosts more than 430 geospatial enterprises with annual output exceeding 30 billion yuan (about 4.2 billion U.S. dollars) -- making it one of the world's most dynamic and complete industrial ecosystems in this sector.

The town has also introduced high-level research platforms and built an integrated system combining industry, education, research and talent development.

"Developing countries like those in Africa need to catch up in geospatial technology to support their own sustainable development, using data to understand the past and present, and plan for the future," said Stephen Djaba, vice president of the Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana.

"The conference has inspired participants to seek deeper collaboration with China, learning how geospatial information can drive progress and help other nations realize its importance," he added.

Mohamed Hatha Ammanamveetil Abdulla, a professor at the Cochin University of Science and Technology in India, highlighted the role of geospatial devices in environmental management.

"Geospatial technology is emerging as a crucial tool for developing countries to monitor environmental changes such as deforestation, coastal degradation and soil intrusion, enabling data-driven strategies for sustainable development," he said.