The UN's SDG 9 is part of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The goals of this SDG are quite specific, but in general terms, the intention is to promote industrial sustainability through solutions that combine high performance and low environmental impacts. Read on and understand how the industry can apply the UN's SDGs through innovative and intelligent systems!
What does the UN's SDG 9 say and why is it so important?
The main goal of the UN's SDG 9 is to bring sustainable development from technological solutions in industries, which would help combat environmental and social problems. On the environmental side, one of the concerns is to combat global warming. In social terms, UN SDG 9 aims to promote a more democratic distribution of employment opportunities and access to basic services.
In other words, the intention is that industries not only become more sustainable spaces, but also more inclusive, stimulating the participation of small companies in the production chain and thus generating more employment and quality of life for the population. We can summarize the importance of the UN's SDG 9 as follows:
- It promotes sustainable, efficient, and resilient construction;
- It makes productive processes more inclusive and democratic;
- It strengthens research and technological development;
- Increases access to financial systems for micro and small enterprises;
- Democratizes access to information and communication technologies (ICT).
What are resilient infrastructures?
Building resilient infrastructure is one of the goals of the UN's SDG 9 to meet the agreements of Agenda 2030. A resilient infrastructure is one that absorbs impacts (environmental or social) with agility and efficiency. The practice of industrial retrofit is an example of seeking resilient infrastructure, as this practice modernizes old structures to make the project more sustainable and functional.
Como sabemos, las consecuencias adversas del cambio climático amenazan la calidad de vida en los centros urbanos y en las zonas rurales, aumentando incluso el riesgo de catástrofes medioambientales.
In this sense, investment in resilient infrastructure means rationalizing the use of certain resources to promote smart production lines, providing quality services without causing risk or disruption to population communities.
How is the UN's SDG 9, industry, innovation and infrastructure doing around the world?
South Korea, Germany and Finland now occupy the podium of the world's most innovative countries in terms of industrial infrastructure. That's what the 2019 survey by the Bloomberg company says, which evaluated the World Innovation Index from some key criteria of the UN SDGs, such as:
- Inversión en investigación y desarrollo;
- Investment in quality higher education;
- Density of high-tech public companies.
What draws attention is that the other countries that make up this ranking are all considered developed countries, with high Human Development Indexes (HDI). Surely, because they are places with high investment capacity, these countries come out ahead of those considered underdeveloped or developing, as is the case of Brazil.
The challenge, therefore, is to promote fairer and more democratic access to innovation resources and sustainable technologies in countries that are still on the path to industrial sustainability.
How can industries achieve the UN's SDG 9?
There are decisive criteria for countries to achieve the UN's SDG 9, such as the technological investment potential mentioned above. This achievement, therefore, will depend on the evaluation of specific contexts, considering the availability of resources, the size, and the end-activity of industries, for example.
In general, we can say that one of the ways to contribute to innovation in the industry and, thus, comply with the UN's SDG 9 is by investing in intelligent systems that combine high performance and cost reduction in the production chain. A great example are the solutions for lighting and natural ventilation, which bring energy efficiency to the factory without giving up the effectiveness of the systems.
Do you know the principles of natural ventilation? Take advantage of our quiz and test your knowledge about the impacts of using sustainable solutions in industry!
Structures such as natural lighting domes, skylights and permanent ventilation blinds are able to combine thermal comfort, electricity savings and quality of life in the workplace. All these solutions operate with zero energy costs and, when well dimensioned, favor the strategic use of natural resources - sun and wind - to create a healthier, more comfortable and pleasant industrial warehouse.
The result of this process is an optimized, more economical production line with more motivated employees. All this, of course, without generating environmental impacts that could compromise not only the production rates, but also the future of the next generations.
Want to know more about this relationship between industrial sustainability and intelligent supply chain? Learn about the main features of Industry 4.0 and see what to invest in to make your factory more efficient and sustainable!
