In May 2022, The World Eco-Design Conference (WEDC) is invited to participate in the 7th Annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum) by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). As requested, the WEDC has also submitted written input for 2 thematic sessions of the Forum centering on “Science, Technology and Innovation at the COVID-19 Conjuncture” and  “Innovation in Education: Towards Quality Access and Common Good”. Thereinto, the written input on “Science, Technology and Innovation at the COVID-19 Conjuncture” has been adopted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and published on its official website https://sdgs.un.org/tfm/STIForum2022. It showcases the efforts that WEDC has made to facilitate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for the SDGs during the COVID-19 pandemic on innovation and entrepreneurship, female empowerment, digital technology, poverty eradication, and international education.

As a further point of reference, resolution A/RES/76/213 on “Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development” was adopted by the Second Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on January 7th, 2022. The resolution contains guidance for the work of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism. It demonstrates that science, technology and innovation, including technologies and information and communications technologies, are critical in the pursuit of sustainable development and are one of the key means of implementation of the the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. Also, the science, technology and innovation play a key role in accelerating the pace of economic diversification and transformation, improving productivity and competitiveness, as well as enabling the full participation of developing countries in the global economy, which can create more opportunities for education, training and capacity building, and widen employment opportunities. It calls upon the international community and all stakeholders to support efforts by developing countries to provide opportunities for science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and research for all, including youth and women, and particularly in the emerging technologies, which hopefully will enable people to leverage science and technology for entrepreneurship and economic empowerment in the changing world.

Nowadays,the spread of information and communications technology and global interconnectedness has great potential to accelerate human progress, to bridge the digital divide and to develop knowledge societies, as does scientific and technological innovation across areas as diverse as ecology and energy. The WEDC actively cooperates with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC), etc. to carry out cooperation related to education, science, technology and innovation, such as jointly organizing the Eco-Design Leading Talent Training Program, the International Design Education Program, and the Women's Design and Innovative Development Forum. What's more, it is planned to jointly develop the Global Digital Technology Repository and establish the United Nations Technology Bank Eco-Design Promotion Center, hold exhibitions and side events related to science, technology and innovation at the Third World Eco-Design Conference and the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), thus promoting knowledge sharing, capacity building and technology transfer. Based on the the experience and resourcing strategies of science, technology and innovation, the WEDC will try its best to enhance North-South, South-South and Triangular Regional and International Cooperation, and promote the global partnership for sustainable development.