On September 20, 2018, the World Sustainability Forum 2018 Beijing Summit (WSF 2018 Beijing Summit), supported by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN) and co-sponsored by the Green Economy Association (GEA), the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), and the Swiss Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Group (MDPI AG), opened in Beijing, China, with the theme of “New Era, New Dynamics - Joining Forces to Advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals”. Around 500 scholars and representatives of industrial and commercial enterprises from more than 20 countries attended the conference to exchange and discuss the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a non-political and non-government format, to explore the solutions of sustainable development in various disciplines and industries, and to share and promote them to the global industry-academia-research community through the platform of UNSDSN.

Mr. Sha Zukang, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Honorary Chairman of the International Green Economy Association, has attended it and delivered a keynote speech. Sha Zukang believes that think tanks are the source of innovation and sustainable development, and enterprises are the main body to promote the implementation of the SDG goals. With their combined efforts,we can can achieve a huge 1+1>2 effect. He said that the world has entered a period of great development, radical change and immense adjustment. It is facing a tremendous change not seen in a century. With economic globalization, climate change and the fate of mankind more and more intertwined into each other, the quality of honesty, compliance of the rule and predictability have become more and more precious, because the implementation of the sustainable development agenda requires a stable and predictable international environment.

Ambassador Sha Zukang called on the Chinese and foreign experts, scholars and entrepreneurs to take SDG as a benchmark, think innovatively, discuss and put forward new initiatives and programs for sustainability in light of the unprecedentedly delicate and complex international situation, and to strengthen the co-construction of industry, academia and research. He said we need to build a system that is “enterprise-based, market-oriented, and combining industry, academia, research and application” to advance the sustainable development agenda, create and share the best practices in sustainable development, establish a globalized resource network for ‘open cooperation and mutual learning’ and give impetus to the global sustainable development agenda.

Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of UNSDSN, Mr. Wang Jiaqiong, President of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Mr. Alain Gaschen, Deputy Head of Delegation and Minister of the Embassy of Switzerland in Beijing, and Franck Vazquez, President of MDPI AG, have delivered speeches on behalf of the organizers.

Mr. Deng Jihai, Executive Chairman of International Green Economy Association, delivered a speech on behalf of the organizers. He said that the International Green Economy Association will give full play to the advantages of resource integration, join hands with Chinese and foreign universities, research institutes and enterprises to create a ‘sustainable development - global industry-university-research co-construction demonstration’, and seek the best practices of sustainable development, invite Chinese think tanks and enterprises to show to the world the China Power of sustainable development, organize people from all walks of life to contribute think tank strategies and enterprise solutions to the cause of global sustainable development.

On behalf of Wang Jinnan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the Academy of Environmental Planning of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, researcher Yu Fang, director of the Research Center for Environmental Economic Accounting of the National Institute of Ecological and Environmental Planning, gave a report on the results of her research on sustainable development, which was entitled “Green GDP 3.0: Economic and Ecological Gross Product(GEEP)”.

Ms. Liu Zhe, Chairwoman of Dalian Bolang Real Estate Development Company shared the innovative practice of promoting sustainable development of the industry-academia-research co-construction. Ms. Liu Zhe introduced in detail the process of industry-academia-research co-construction of Dalian Golden Dimension Passive Building Project, a national demonstration project of passive building in cooperation with Germany. She said, the passive house is a 'high-quality ecological product' of green human habitat.

The opening ceremony of the summit also held a high-end discussion on ‘Sustainable Development and High-quality Economic Growth’. Experts and scholars from home and abroad, as well as leaders of ministries and representatives of the industrial sector, had an exciting high-end dialogue under the chairmanship of Mr. Liu Baocheng, Professor of the University of International Business and Economics and Director of the Center for International Economic Ethics Studies.

The 2018 World Sustainable Development Forum Beijing Summit also set up a number of special forums on intergenerational integration, innovation and sustainable development, ‘Hundreds of Controversies’ between Chinese and foreign experts, sustainable development of agricultural economy, biomaterials and sustainable development, clean heating and sustainable development, green economy and health etc. With focus on the key issues in each field, the forum discussed and explored a number of 'sustainable development - best practices', explored the establishment of global sustainable industry-university-research bases, and discussed the promotion and policy application of the 'clean heating, renewable bio-nano-materials, green agriculture among other industries.' jointly inject new momentum into sustainability in the framework of SDGs, and push forward the 2030 global sustainable development goals through cross-regional and cross-field high-end wisdom collision and multi-functional and multi-dimensional economic cooperation.