Toward the New Goal of National Prosperity

It is almost certain that China achieves its7.5%economic growth target set at the beginning of 2012,which means that China’s total annual GDP for the first time recorded more than 50 trillion yuan,equivalent to US$8 trillion with per capita GDP exceeding US$6,000.This is compatible with the ambitious goal of achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020.

Evaluating the role of partnerships in increasing the use of big Earth data to support the Sustainable Development Goals:an Australian perspective

Leaders are increasingly calling for improved decision support to manage human and environmental challenges in the 21^(st)Century.The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)pro-vide a framing of these challenges,wherein 169 targets require significant data to be monitored and pursued effectively.However,many targets are still not connected with big Earth data capabilities.In this conceptual paper,the authors sought to answer the question“How are partnerships influencing progress in using big Earth data to address the SDGs?”Using the Pivotal Principles for Digital Earth,we reflect on the geospatial sector’s partnering efforts and opportunities for enhancing the use of big Earth data.We use Australia as a case study to explore partnering for action towards one or more SDGs.We conclude that partnerships are emerging for big Earth data use in addressing the SDGs,but much can still be done to harness the power of partnerships for transformative SDG outcomes.We propose four key enabling priorities:1)multiple-stakeholder collaboration,2)regular enactment of the problem-solving cycle,3)transparent and reliable georeferenced data,and 4)development and preservation of trust.Five“next steps”are outlined for Australia,which can also benefit practitioners and leaders globally in problem-solving for the SDGs.

Priority areas at the frontiers of ecology and energy

The complexity of economic development and humanitarian crisesmeans that energy science and technology should be involved in actions that address almost everymajor challenges of ecosystem health and sustainability.Energy is the engine of the world economy and the key to ecosystems’functioning,which also has a great impact on global warming.The energy crisis,environmental pollution,overuse of natural resources,water supply shortages,global climate disruption,and deteriorating ecosystems are major challenges to address in order to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).In light of the frontiers in energy sciences and disruptive innovation in eco-tech,we recognize the need to review and establish working mechanisms that identify and examine issues that are critical to future sustainable development,to offer advice to decision-makers in different social sectors(public and private),to secure a shared future for mankind,and to achieve shared prosperity and common interests through international communications and collaborations.

Situation and measures of China＇s CO2 emission mitigation after the Paris Agreement

Global response to climate change has entered the phase of full implementation of the Paris Agreement. To control the global temperature rise below 2℃, all countries must make more efforts to reduce emission. China has combined its goal of emission reduction for combating climate change with its domestic sustainable development strategy to promote energy revolution and the transition of economic development to low-carbon pat- terns. Through reinforcing the commitment and action before 2020, the CO2 intensity of GDP can decrease by more than 50% by 2020 compared with that of 2005, and the external commitment target of a 40%-45% decrease can be over fulfilled. Currently, under the new economic normal, China further strengthens the policy measure, vigorously saves energy, enhances energy use efficiency and the economic output benefit, and simultaneously develops new and renewable energy and accelerates energy structural decarbonization, so that the annual decrease rate of the CO2 intensity of GDP keeps a high level of more than 4% and remains increasing. Thus, the decrease rate of the CO2 intensity of GDP will exceed the GDP growth rate, and then CO2 emission will peak around 2030. This will promote the fundamental turning of economic development mode, and lay a foundation for the establishment of a sustainable energy system with near- zero emissions and with new and renewable energy as the main body in the second half of this century. China implements the concept of green low-carbon development and accelerates the low carbon transition of energy and economy to achieve win-win results in economic growth and CO2 emission mitigation, and these policies and actions will also provide experiences for many other developing countries. On the other hand, China will continue to play a positive and constructive leading role in the implementation of the Paris Agreement internationally, and promote the construction of new mechanisms of win- win cooperation, fairness and justice and common development for global climate governance. Moreover, China will make an effort to build a community of common destiny for mankind, promote pragmatic coopera- tion among countries, especially among developing countries, and take combating climate change as a new development opportunity for jointly moving toward climate-friendly low-carbon economic development path.