The United Nations University Institute in Macau, in partnership with the Youth Environmental Friendly Action Committee of the All-China Environment Federation and the Grouphorse ESG Industrial College at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, hosted a side event titled “AI and Digital Innovation: Empowering Youth-Led ESG Actions” at the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum. The event, held both in-person at UNU-CPR and virtually, focused on how AI and digital innovation can empower youth in leading Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) actions.
The session convened youth leaders, AI experts, and ESG scholars from around the world. Opening remarks were delivered by Yang Min, a researcher at the United Nations University Institute in Macau, and Tang Xing, Co-Chair of the Grouphorse ESG Industrial College and Chairman of Grouphorse Group. Yang highlighted the transformative potential of AI in reshaping sustainable development, while Tang emphasized the role of AI in enabling youth to turn digital skills into sustainable actions.
Keynote speakers featured Yu Zhou and Zhang Shangxuan of Columbia University, Qing Jiaxin of UC Berkeley, and Chen Zijiao of Stanford University, who shared insights into AI’s applications in sustainability, healthcare, and social inclusion. Following the keynote session, a "Youth Action Leaders Roundtable" showcased youth-led initiatives in AI and ESG, illustrating the impactful work being done globally.
The event highlighted the importance of youth leadership in driving AI-powered solutions to global sustainability challenges and aligned with the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum theme, “Youth at the Forefront: Leveraging Science and Social Inclusion for Sustainable Development.”
