Industry

Industry holds an indispensable relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations, illuminating the fact that sustainable industrial development plays a vital role in achieving these global objectives. Industry, particularly manufacturing, serves as a critical driver for economic growth, employment, and technological advancement. SDG 9, specifically, underlines the importance of industry, innovation, and infrastructure, underscoring the need for resilient infrastructure, inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. However, the intricate interlinkages between industry and other SDGs must not be overlooked.

For instance, clean and sustainable industrial processes contribute significantly to SDG 13, aiming at climate action, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, and adopting clean and environmentally sound technologies. Similarly, SDG 12, responsible consumption and production, demands the industries to promote resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and provide access to basic services, green and decent jobs, and a better quality of life for all. It motivates industries to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle.

The role of industries extends to SDG 8 (Decent work and Economic Growth) as industries stimulate economic activities that lead to job creation and thus, improve living standards. Also, in respect to SDG 5 (Gender Equality), industrial sectors have the potential to provide opportunities for women in the workforce and help bridge the gender wage gap.

Nevertheless, the transformation to a more sustainable industry is not without challenges. The demands of rapid technological changes, the need for significant capital investments in green technologies, and the transition to a circular economy are some of the hurdles industry faces. Further, this transformation requires a multilevel and multi-stakeholder approach, calling for cooperation among governments, private sectors, academia, and civil society to pave the path to achieving SDGs.

Transitioning the energy sector to zero or net-zero emission of greenhouse gasses (GHG) and substantially reducing other pollutants is a massive, costly, and long-term effort. The typical starting point and centerpiece of energy decarbonization is the electric power sector. The sector is a large direct GHG emitter. It already has many technological, non-carbon emitting alternatives that are rapidly declining in capital and operating costs and improving in performance, making electricity the least expensive and accessible energy carrier to decarbonize.
Elsevier,

Applications in Energy and Combustion Science, Volume 7, September 2021

This opinion article is the result of intensive discussions between a group of more than fifty internationally renowned researchers who are scientifically engaged in thermofluids and energy process engineering. With this article we express our plea: Let us consider all options and explore new ideas that will move us towards a climate-neutral energy system!
This chapter advances SDG 6 by discussing recent advancement in the usage of nanocellulose as an adsorbent for water and wastewater treatment and by highlighting current challenges and limitations related to nanocellulose derived material applications at an industrial scale.
This chapter advances SDG 6 by presenting an overview of the development of polymeric adsorbents from different agrowastes along with used physical and methods with their success and shortcomings.
Elsevier,

Methods in Sustainability Science, Assessment, Prioritization, Improvement, Design and Optimization, 2021, Pages 13-26

This book chapter advances SDG 11 and 13 by explaining how businesses contributed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the early years after the declaration of these Goals at the end of 2015. Samples were taken from Indonesian publicly listed companies that published sustainability reports during the period 2016–2018 after the SDGs adoption.
Elsevier,

Or Aleksandrowicz, Chapter 1 - Mapping and management of urban shade assets: a novel approach for promoting climatic urban action, Editor(s): Ansar Khan, Hashem Akbari, Francesco Fiorito, Sk Mithun, Dev Niyogi, Global Urban Heat Island Mitigation, Elsevier, 2022, Pages 1-27, ISBN 9780323855396, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85539-6.00003-2

This chapter advances UN SDG goal 12 by ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns
Local authorities in the United Kingdom are recognised by central government as key agents to achieving the national net zero target aimed at stabilising global temperatures at or below 1.5 degrees in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. Since 2018, over 75% of local authorities have declared climate emergencies committing to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions. This paper presents the findings of a review of official public records published by 308 local authorities, City Regions and Combined Authorities declaring climate emergencies.
To show the importance of climate action and to celebrate the more than 5-year collaboration between the Elsevier Chemistry journals department and the Elsevier Foundation, we have compiled this special issue, highlighting top chemistry content related to SDG 13 and providing information on past winners of the Green & Sustainable Chemistry Challenge.

The chemical industry needs to significantly decrease carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in order to meet the 2050 carbon neutrality goal. Utilization of CO2 as a chemical feedstock for bulk products is a promising way to mitigate industrial emissions; however, CO2-based manufacturing is currently not competitive with the established petrochemical methods and its deployment requires creation of a new value chain.

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