October 14th—the 2024 Shanghai-Espoo Sustainable Development Forum took place in Espoo, Finland, bringing together experts from both cities. Professor Yao Jianlong, Vice President of SASS, attended the forum and emphasized that sustainable development is a shared objective for all humanity. He expressed hope that this event would serve as a platform to deepen exchanges and foster collaboration between Shanghai and Espoo in advancing the implementation of the SDGs at the local level, particularly in areas such as voluntary assessments and related initiatives.
The participating experts acknowledged the significant achievements of Shanghai and Espoo in advancing sustainable development. They emphasized the importance of intercity exchanges and cooperation on critical issues such as climate change, stressing the need for proactive efforts to drive sustainable urban growth. They shared insights into the low-carbon development initiatives of both cities and exchanged experiences on topics such as energy transitions and climate change adaptation. They agreed that the practices of Shanghai and Espoo offer valuable lessons for both sides and expressed hope for broader and more in-depth exchanges in the future.
During the forum, SASS delegates presented the key contents and major findings of the UN SDGs Shanghai Voluntary Local Review Annual Report.
The forum was organized by SASS and International Affairs of the Mayor's Office of Espoo, with the support of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and Shanghai Coordination Center of the World Cities Day.
