The UN's industry, innovation, and infrastructure dream

Goal 9 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 9) attempts to address the need to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation, and drive innovation. To accomplish this objective, businesses may partake in contributing to employment and GDP, as well as increase scientific research and revamp infrastructure, among others.

Furthermore, with billions of dollars invested each year on growth and infrastructure, the United Nations’ SDG 9 emphasises the significance of innovative sustainable technologies to reduce environmental footprint and adopt clean technologies without putting additional strain on people and the environment.

Many developing countries, on the other hand, are in jeopardy because they lack access to new technologies, which has a direct impact on their socio-economic development. According to World Bank data, 2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and nearly a billion do not have access to electricity, accounting for more than 10% of the global population. 

Nevertheless, when it comes to communications infrastructure, more than half of the world's population is integrated, and almost everyone lives in a location with mobile phone coverage, with 96.5% having 2G as a minimum, according to the UN.

What are the SDG 9 targets?

The goal may appear to be a broad goal, encompassing all from sustainable communities to scientific research to communication technology and financial services. A brief look at its objectives, however, reveals a very specific set of desired results.

These include creating high-quality, dependable, long-lasting, and resilient infrastructure with an emphasis on affordable and equitable access for all. Also, encouraging inclusive and long-term industrialisation, increasing industry contributions to employment and GDP, improving infrastructure and retrofitting industries to make them more sustainable. 

All of this is underpinned by further scientific and technological research across industries to achieve sustainable objectives. 

Keep an eye out for our follow-up piece on how businesses can achieve this.