Good morning, afternoon or evening to all of you, wherever you are in the world!

It’s fantastic to join you at the start of this year’s Tsinghua University Global Summer School. 

Now, how many of you have heard of the Stockholm Declaration? 

A few weeks ago in early June, we marked 50 years since its signing. This was the first time the world recognized that human development, and the state of our environment, are interconnected. 

Can you believe that before then, 1972, it was still a relatively new idea that people's well-being, including the chance to end poverty, depends on nature remaining stable and intact?

While we have learned a lot about our environment since then, we have not done enough to protect the Earth – our only home.  

As the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres said recently: “we are sleepwalking into climate catastrophe”. 

Our world now traps twice as much heat as it did in 2005.Parts of the Amazon are releasing more carbon than they absorb.And the Arctic may be ice-free by 2040.

Our exploitation of the earth’s natural resources and pollution means 90 percent of all large fish have disappeared from our oceans. And 1 in 10 people now die from air pollution-linked diseases. 

More deadly diseases are also jumping from animals to humans – including COVID-19, which has killed 6.7 million globally.And it reversed human development for the first time in 30 years, while pushing 423 million people back into poverty.

Yet, as the world emerges from this pandemic, we now have an opportunity: to recover stronger, more resilient and more united than before. We have been shown, first hand, the consequences of failing to protect our planet – and why that is crucial for our own survival.

That’s why I am glad that this year’s summer school theme - ‘a healthy planet for sustainable development’ – addresses the urgent need to collectively rebuild our broken relationship with nature.

I am encouraged that such bright, curious and creative minds like yourselves have chosen to spend part of your summer thinking about how to make a greener, more sustainable, inclusive and equitable future a reality for all. 

For it is critical that your generation - the most connected, tech-savvy and largest group of young people in history – is front and centre in addressing today’s multiple planetary crises. 

While these may well be overwhelming and unprecedented, over the next few weeks, you will gain new knowledge and skills to tackle them. 

You’ll learn how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – to end poverty and protect our planet – are designed to overcome critical social, economic and environmental challenges together, through interconnected solutions.  You’ll also learn how by applying an SDG-lens to public policy, financing, technology and other areas, we can ensure human development that our earth can sustain. 

Indeed, if you’re interested in how to harness cutting-edge technologies to tackle real-world problems, then I encourage you to join this year’s Youth U&AI bootcamp, organized by Tsinghua and supported by UNDP. With access to masterclasses & workshops from SDG and tech experts, you will be supported to design tech-enabled solutions to complex development challenges. 

Around the globe we have seen young people leading the way in the fight against climate change, standing up for social justice and gender equality. As future global leaders, I hope this experience will inspire you to continue working for and advancing the SDGs in the years ahead. With just eight years left to meet them, your help is key!

I thank Tsinghua University for their dedication to the SDGs. This annual summer school is a unique and engaging programme to foster the next generation of change-makers and build a more sustainable world.

With that, I wish you an exciting and rewarding summer school experience. The world needs your energy, intellect and dedication for the global goals more than ever – thank you and good luck!