SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

SDG 9 is to “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.”

Did you know…

In some of the least developed countries of the world there is difficulty in increasing the manufacturing industry share of gross domestic product by 2030. This could be due to a lack of infrastructure and investment.

Their funding for innovation and scientific research is also below the global average.  In developing and developed regions, global manufacturing decreased in 2018. This is thought to be due to restrictions on trade and tariffs put in place which slowed investments.          

In 2008 the global share of the gross domestic product from manufacturing increased to 15.9% and had a small increase to 16.5% in 2015. In 2018 it was still at the same level. 

The percentage of total employment arising from manufacturing in 2015 was 14.7%. This fell to 14.2% in 2018. This was due to countries moving production from industries such as agriculture towards higher value manufacturing services. From 2000 to 2016 the global carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing decreased by more than 20%. 

Targets

• “By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.”

• “Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries… by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers…”

How chemistry can help

Over 20 million people worldwide are employed in some way by the chemical industry. The chemical sector is key to providing solutions that can help reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 2030 (see SDG 13: Climate Action).

Chemistry is used to make many products and is involved in many different industries. These products include drugs or vaccines which can be used to improve human health (see SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing) or water treatment agents which can be used to process water to make it safer (see SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation). Another product is fertilisers or pesticides to be used by farmers which can improve the yield of their crops (see SDG 2: Zero Hunger). 

The chemical sector is looking at more efficient use of resources and better environmental management. This also involves reducing the costs of waste disposal, any raw materials and the possibility of earning more money from by-products (see SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production).