Sustainable Development Goals – The Symposium at the heart of DEUISGR23 unites two interdependent global imperatives: the Sustainable Development Goals and advancing Earth-system research. Against a backdrop of accelerating planetary change—spanning climate disruption, land-use shifts, ocean degradation, and biodiversity loss—this convening foregrounds how integrative Earth-system science can illuminate pathways toward realizing the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The gathering aims to catalyze dialogue among Earth-system scientists, SDG practitioners, policymakers, and technologists, encouraging cross-scale coordination between global targets and Earth observations. By inviting transdisciplinary perspectives—from remote-sensing innovations to modeling of carbon, water, and biodiversity dynamics—the DEUISGR23 symposium positions itself as a frontier for generating actionable insights, refining goal implementation, and deepening our understanding of planetary systems underpinning sustainable development.
Integrating SDG Framework with Earth-System Metrics
A central agenda of the Symposium is to weave SDG objectives into the fabric of Earth-system monitoring and governance. While the SDGs represent universal policy aspirations—for inclusive development, environmental protection, and economic equity—many scholars note a disconnect between these goals and the underlying Earth-system boundaries that frame planetary sustainability. The Symposium seeks to bridge that gap by showcasing frameworks such as planetary boundaries—limits on climate, biosphere integrity, chemical pollution, and freshwater use—that define a “safe operating space” for humanity. Sessions will explore how Earth-system data, not only global but regionally contextualized, can inform national and local SDG implementation, ensuring that efforts to lift livelihoods, safeguard ecosystems, and foster innovation remain aligned with biophysical constraints and tipping-point risks. In doing so, DEUISGR23 emphasizes that development must remain anchored in Earth’s physical realities rather than abstract policy aspirations.
Access the Official Proceedings of DEU-ISGR-23 – Peer-Reviewed Papers Across Multiple Disciplines
Earth Observation and Data Innovation for SDG Monitoring
Another key Symposium segment emphasizes the growing role of Earth Observation (EO) technologies and data science in tracking SDG progress. Initiatives like EO4SDG leverage satellite imagery and geospatial information to measure targets related to land degradation, water access, food security, and urban resilience. These programs demonstrate how EO can help achieve SDGs by providing real-time, scalable, and independent monitoring. At the same time, advances in deep learning with Earth Observation enable breakthroughs in mapping urban dynamics, climate adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. The Symposium will feature workshops and poster sessions where researchers present case studies on observed SDG-relevant indicators, discuss data integration strategies, and chart how artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and open data platforms can accelerate evidence-based policy and impact. By aligning innovation with policy needs, DEUISGR23 ensures that data ecosystems directly inform decision-making for sustainability.
Transdisciplinary Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
DEUISGR23 recognizes that bridging SDGs with Earth systems demands inclusive engagement across sectors. One track centers on building partnerships among scientists, policymakers, community leaders, and private stakeholders. Drawing inspiration from the Earth System Governance SDG Taskforce, the Symposium includes panels on institutional integration, policy coherence, and multi-scale stewardship. These sessions emphasize challenges such as translating planetary-scale insights into equitable local policies, ensuring marginalized communities inform SDG prioritization, and fostering governance mechanisms that promote resilience and accountability. The Symposium also underscores how knowledge co-production can reduce epistemic inequalities, ensuring that diverse voices contribute to Earth-system solutions. Such collaborative dialogue is essential for ensuring that both global and local perspectives converge in strategies that are just, inclusive, and effective.
Reimagining Research Priorities for a Safe and Just Future
A final theme focuses on how the convergence of Earth science and SDG ambitions calls for reimagined research agendas to sustain a flourishing planet. Critics argue that current SDGs often overlook planetary integrity, treating the environment as a means rather than an end. This track invites reflection on generating research that places Earth’s biophysical systems at the core of sustainable development strategies. Building on ideas such as the planetary boundaries framework, the Symposium will examine integrating threshold concepts into planning, reassessing trade-offs between economic growth and ecological stability, and embedding resilience and equity as guiding principles. By fostering dialogues about knowledge gaps, norm-setting, and future generative models, DEUISGR23 aspires to shape an Earth-systems-informed agenda that advances not only development but the long-term viability of life-supporting systems.
