Conference on 17 Sustainable Development Goals has opened at RUDN University

On November 22, the International Scientific Conference of Students and Young Scientists “For the Sustainable Development of Civilization: Cooperation, Science, Education, Technology” opened at RUDN University. Such a large-scale event dedicated to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is held in Russia for the first time. 1000 participants from 50 countries prepared their proposals. Among them are experts from Brazil, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, China, the USA and Turkey.

“During five days, participants will learn what different countries are doing for sustainable development. Learn from the experience of other countries. Share your ideas,” Vladimir Filippov, President of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia.

The 5-day conference opened with a plenary session at which Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” and Riccardo Valentini, Nobel Peace Prize winner as part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, spoke.

“The basic condition for the development of civilization is a sufficient amount of energy and other resources: drinking water, fertile land. These resources are scarce, so leadership is provided by technological superiority. For example, digitalization is available only to energy rich countries. However, the expansion of the technosphere creates new threats. Therefore, it is important to develop research in the field of nature-like technologies,” Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”.

“A new type of person is being formed — the Urban Human (English ‘city man’). Soon more than 80% of the world’s population will live in cities. This is despite the fact that there is a lot of stress in cities: bad air, thermal fluctuations, mental disorders, bad food. Now in the world 868 million people are hungry, while 1.5 billion are obese. A third of the food in the cities is wasted, which is enough to feed 4 times the number of people who are now starving. It is important to develop urban environmental services. Including green infrastructure and digital tools for their maintenance. It is not possible to create a digital twin of a tree, but it is possible to create a monitoring system that will show all the vital signs of this tree. Such data can be used when taking into account the development of urban infrastructure. We are already doing such projects together with RUDN”, — Riccardo Valentini, Nobel Peace Prize winner as part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, researcher at the RUDN Institute of Agrarian Technology.

Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Center in Moscow, Chairman of the UN Country Team in Russia, and Alexei Borisov, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian United Nations Association, Vice President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations, also spoke at the plenary session.

“The 2030 Agenda has the necessary potential to consolidate the efforts of the global community. It continues to serve as a basis for dialogue and the mobilization of additional resources and opportunities in order to jointly overcome socio-economic problems. Effective counteraction to new challenges in the field of sustainable development and building a new prosperous and more secure future for all,” Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Center in Moscow.

“The regions of Russia continue to actively participate and come up with new initiatives on international platforms in order to emphasize their commitment to the goals of sustainable development and remind the world community that the 2030 agenda is a kind of plan to save our planet, the success of which largely depends on partnerships. relations,” Alexey Borisov, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian United Nations Association

On November 22, in addition to the plenary session, 2 strategic sessions were held: “Geopolitics: a strategy for strong alliances” and “Integrated ecosystem management systems in crisis conditions of a changing technogenic and natural environment.” Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, spoke at one of them:

“The global task is to achieve world order. We do not have to agree with our colleagues from other countries, but only by joint efforts can we move forward in developing a common understanding. In our difficult times, we need to focus not on what separates us, but on what helps us move forward,” Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Until November 26, 14 thematic sessions are planned:

• November 23 — “Partnership for Sustainable Development”, “Peace, Justice and Effective Institutions”, “Gender Equality”
• November 24 — Decent work and economic growth. Elimination of Poverty“, “Reducing Inequality”, “Quality Education”,
• November 25 — “Industrialization, innovation and infrastructure”, “Rational consumption and production. Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Zero Hunger, Clean Water and Sanitation
• November 26 — “Combating climate change”, “Rational use, conservation of ocean, land resources”, “Good health and well-being”.