The 6th International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development (FBAS 2026) concluded in Beijing on September 8 with the adoption of the Beijing Initiative on Digital Science and AI for Global Sustainable Development. The initiative sets out 12 priorities for using big data, Earth observation and artificial intelligence to advance the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Researchers from the University of Oxford and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) visited the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS) on August 21 to exchange research findings on forest monitoring, marine conservation, and vegetation change.

The mudslide disaster on August 26 differs from past glacial collapses in several key ways, and Nepal's response experiences can be assessed from two angles, a senior Nepali geologist told the Global Times, citing his own research and front-line exchanges. Considering China-Nepal cooperation mechanisms, he suggested that the current framework should move toward a more proactive joint monitoring network that combines remote sensing with real-time collaborative data analysis.

A delegation from the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) visited the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal, from July 29 to 30, 2026.

A research team from the Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS) has won a silver award at the 2026 AI and Space Computing Challenge—the world's first international competition dedicated to space computing.

The 2026 PIFI Summer School, themed "Earth Guardians: Earth Observation, AI and Data Science for Global Challenges," concluded in Beijing on July 29, equipping early-career researchers from around the world with advanced knowledge, practical experience and new opportunities for international collaboration in climate action, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.