Editor's note: The article is part of CGTN's series called "New Chapter of the BRI", in which global economists and eminent academics share their views and insights on the development and opportunity of BRI. Thorsten Jelinek is a senior fellow and the Europe director of the Taihe Institute and visiting scholar at Hertie School's Centre for Digital Governance. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Over the past decade, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has seen remarkable success. Adapting to a global context vastly different from its inception, the BRI has extended its scope to include rapid implementation in strategic areas including technology adoption, health, innovation, and sustainability. This shift is timely given that only 12 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been realized halfway through to the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

As a key component of China proposed BRI, the Digital Belt and Road (DBR) is taking centre stage in steering humanity’s approach to digital transformation, showing immense potential to champion sustainable practices. Earth observations, such as space-borne and air-borne remote sensing, precise tracking of urban and land use changes, water resource management, forest cover dynamics, and agricultural productivity, are all essential components of the SDGs.

By synthesizing this data with environmental, industrial, and sociodemographic information, BRI countries can also gain fact-based insights into algorithmic patterns of poverty, education disparities, and health vulnerabilities. By tapping into the expansive capabilities of satellite and remote sensing technologies, countries can streamline their pathways to achieving the SDGs, ensuring a future that is sustainable, inclusive, and resilient for all its inhabitants.

Big earth data is also an important source for cyberphysical systems (CPS) that play a vital role in reducing, eliminating, and removing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all major sectors, including electricity and heat generation, transportation, buildings, industry, agriculture, and land-use. Electrification with renewables, which is indispensable for decarbonization, introduces system complexity in the deployment, integration, and efficient orchestration of electrified economic systems.

Learning from various data sources and utilizing big earth data, artificial intelligence (AI) is essential for enabling and enhancing the efficient deployment and management of such complex electrified economic systems. AI-driven cyberphysical systems are already applied in areas such as energy storage and decentralized energy generation, smart grid management, intelligent traffic management, autonomous vehicles and precision farming.

One lighthouse program that has made significant progress for the Digital BRI is the Digital Belt and Road Program (DBAR). Based in Beijing, DBAR is an international science program that has engaged with 59 countries, international organizations, and research programs, running solution-oriented working groups and has established nine centers of excellence globally.

The basis of their work is an open-access Earth Observation (EO) data and tools platform that is provided as a public good by the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) and can be accessed by any BRI country. CBAS not only provides access to the Big Earth Data platform, but also manages and supports data projects, facilitates an open technology and science network of 1,200 researchers from 129 research institutions, and promotes cooperation and partnerships. The high-quality EO data is acquired by the Sustainable Development Science Satellite (SDGSAT-1), which was purpose-built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and initially launched into orbit in November 2021, specifically for the realization of the SDGs.

While the potential of satellites and other remote sensing data to refine and enhance SDG decision-making, BRI countries and their regional and local governments, in particular, have lagged in the utilization of such technologies.

Despite the availability of advanced tools, products, and platforms, there exists a substantial gap between data accessibility and its practical application. One of the foremost challenges is the lack of technological capacity and expertise within governmental agencies, especially on regional and local levels.

The interpretation of remote sensing data and development of digital services demands specialized skills, and without adequate training or experts, these rich data sources and applications can remain largely untapped.

Additionally, there is often a disconnect between the producers of EO data and its potential end-users, leading to data that isn't tailored to specific local needs. With a nuanced understanding of local contexts, local and regional governments are best placed to harness the power of EO data and digital services. By tailoring interventions to their unique needs, they can ensure that the benefits of such technologies trickle down to the very last mile, touching the lives of their inhabitants in the most tangible ways.

Hence, there is a pressing need for capacity building, ensuring that countries can not only access but also interpret and utilize the data effectively. Financial constraints and a lack of awareness about the potential of EO data further compound these challenges. Regarding AI-driven cyberphysical systems, the conditions acquiring, developing and using such advanced technologies is even more complex as it involves sector-specific technology capabilities and long-term investment decisions and development support. However, these hurdles are not insurmountable.

By fostering international collaboration and prioritizing capacity building and technology transfer, the Digital Belt and Road can unlock the potential of digital technologies in accelerating both economic development and the implementation of the SDGs. In the era of OE-driven SDG realisation, programs like DBAR and CBAS have demonstrated their potential to transform the way we approach sustainable development. As we stand at the crossroads of the future, the Digital Belt and Road reminds us of the possibilities that lie ahead when humanity unites for a common cause.