In 2026, we stand at a historic juncture of continuity and transition. Having systematically reflected on the decade-long journey of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2025, the year 2026 marks our official entry into the sprint phase of achieving the SDGs while also inaugurating forward-looking planning for global sustainable development beyond 2030.

We understand that the global challenges of sustainable development are complex. The approaching climate tipping points, cascading ecosystem impacts, and disparities in regional development remind us that we need broader strategic perspectives, deeper scientific understanding, and more precise technological innovations to comprehend the interactions between human activities and the Earth's natural environment and to take targeted actions. The explosive growth of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) has provided a "golden key" to addressing bottlenecks in global sustainable development.

Over the past six years, FBAS has witnessed a shift in how the perspective about digital technologies for SDGs have transformed from "important tools" for monitoring and evaluation, to being "core drivers" of sustainable development. Today, advancements in AI hold tremendous potential for SDGs as it unlocks new ways of understanding our planet, shifting from passive data analysis towards intelligent prediction, and from single-factor assessments to more integrated view of socio-economic-environmental systems.

This year’s forum, under the theme “Inheriting the Future: Innovations in Digital Intelligence for a post-2030 Sustainable Development Agenda” will delve into six major scientific topics: 1) accelerating the transformation and realization of global sustainable development goals through digital intelligence technologies; 2) strengthening the scientific foundation of big data for SDGs monitoring and evaluation; 3) exploring research paradigms for AI-driven sustainable development; 4) enhancing the critical role of global partnerships in accelerating SDG achievement while breaking down data barriers and bridging the digital divide; and looking ahead to summarize the progress of sustainable development goals and co-create new pathways for global sustainable development beyond 2030. The forum also features the SDGs Youth Stage, recognizing that young people are not only beneficiaries of a sustainable future but also co-creators of the present.

With only four years remaining until 2030, time is pressing, but the potential for progress is substantial. We must examine the present with scientific rationality and embrace the future with fearless innovation. On behalf of the forum, I extend a heartfelt invitation to scientists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and young minds worldwide to gather with us. Let us transcend disciplinary and national boundaries to contribute solutions to the urgent challenge of achieving the SDGs and, together, shape the blueprint for long-term sustainable development with digital intelligence and collective strength.

Let us look to the future, advance hand in hand, and illuminate the path to sustainable development for 2030 and beyond with the light of digital intelligence!