Yes to Innovation, No to Change: Sustainable Development Goal #9

Introduction

What is the foundation to every successful community? It is a functioning and resilient infrastructure. It is clear that in order to meet future challenges, we have to upgrade our infrastructure by promoting innovative and sustainable technologies. For communities around the world, this will bring prosperity, employment opportunities, and will make sure that we build prosperous societies all around the world.  Looking at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #9, why is it important? And how can we get involved?

Why is it important?

The United Nations explains that: 

"Investments in infrastructure – transport, irrigation, energy and information and communication technology – are crucial to achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries. It has long been recognized that growth in productivity and incomes, and improvements in health and education outcomes require investment in infrastructure."

There are many reasons why SDG #9 is found to be very important. For starters, this SDG encompasses three very important aspects: infrastructure, industrialization and innovation. Infrastructure plays a huge role in providing real physical systems and structures that are essential to the operation of a society and/or an enterprise. Industrialization on the other hand creates job opportunities and drives economic growth, which in turn reduces income poverty. Finally, innovation, which advances technological capabilities and prompts the new development of new things. Sustainable  development, in my opinion, is the most important factor as it generates income generation which allows for rapid and increased living standards for everybody. This SDG provides the technological solutions that we need as a society for environmentally sound industrialization. 

The figure below illustrates the challenges and solutions associated with industry, innovation and infrastructure: 

Source: "Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | UNEP..." Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, UN Environment Programme

How Can We Get Involved?

There are many ways in which we can all get involved. The figure below illustrates the current global progress in reaching SDG #9:

Source: "SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure," Eurostat Statistics. 

Things We Can Do:

• Support a Goal 9 charity 
• Encourage your company or enterprise to invest in clean infrastructure 
• Create a "hotspot map." This is will allow public spaces to have free wifi access
• Launch a small business! Small businesses help the country by providing employment opportunities and improving its economy. They also enable entrepreneurs which stem innovation
• Use technology to spread awareness and take action to reach sustainable development goal

For me, pursuing a career in clean energy would greatly impact SDG #9. Due to the lack of the necessary infrastructure, million of people in developing countries still don't have access to electricity full-time. For the same reason, people also don't have access to basic sanitation services and clean water. Industrialization and infrastructure, especially in respect to the environment, are essential to all other SDGs. 

Thus, I hope to follow along the footsteps of SDG #9 to build resilient infrastructure, foster innovation and promote sustainable growth in actions against climate change. To learn more about the United Nations Development Goals, please visit their website.