Technology, research, and digital interaction have proven essential to meet the challenges of a pandemic world. In many senses, change is here to stay. In this opening session, participants will elaborate on how emerging technologies have reshaped our life and what we must expect from the future. One of the lessons of the COVID crisis is the importance of international cooperation to tackle global issues and the necessity to accelerate the commitment to fight together the Climate Emergency. In this session we will discuss as well the role of IoT and other emerging technologies solutions to meet the SDGs.