China faces complex and interconnected environmental, social, and economic challenges:
Increasing frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, heatwaves, storms, air and water pollution, land degradation, and rapid ecosystem changes demand timely, spatially detailed information for monitoring, early warning, and adaptation.
Persistent inequality, urban–rural disparities, demographic change, internal migration, and uneven access to services require fine-scale, up-to-date social and demographic data to support inclusive and balanced development.
Economic
The transition toward green, high-quality growth and decarbonization calls for detailed information on industrial activity, infrastructure, energy use, and land use to guide policy and sustainable investment.
At the same time, China’s geospatial data landscape is highly fragmented:
Data are scattered across numerous platforms and agencies, in different formats, resolutions, and standards
Many valuable datasets exist only as isolated collections on the internet or in specialized data centers, often with limited documentation or interoperability
Important information products still need to be generated from remotely sensed data using modern models, AI techniques, and data assimilation tools
International users often encounter technical, institutional, or linguistic barriers when accessing geospatial data hosted in China
The Department of Geography at HKU has demonstrated the feasibility and value of systematic, high-quality data production and dissemination through efforts such as the GLASS product suite. Building on this experience, the China Sustainability Intelligence Observatory is established to:
Systematically develop, collect, integrate, and harmonize geospatial datasets for China
Provide them as Analysis Ready Data for researchers, policymakers, and international users
Support HKU’s high-ranking Geography and Remote Sensing programs in advancing research and training on China’s sustainable development