Technology

Technology plays a central role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The transformative power of technology can accelerate progress towards all the SDGs by driving economic growth, reducing inequalities, enhancing access to basic services, and promoting sustainability.

Under SDG 9, technology, particularly in terms of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), is a key enabler of industrial innovation and infrastructure development. ICT has the potential to drive economic growth by enhancing productivity, creating jobs, and fostering entrepreneurship. Moreover, it can contribute to making industries more sustainable by facilitating the transition towards smart manufacturing and circular economy models.

Regarding SDG 4, technology can greatly enhance access to quality education. Digital technologies, including e-learning platforms, can break down barriers to education, such as geographical distance, socio-economic status, and physical disabilities. They can also enrich the learning process by enabling personalized, student-centered learning experiences.

In the context of SDG 3, technology has a profound impact on health outcomes. Medical technologies, from simple devices like thermometers to complex systems like MRI machines, have revolutionized healthcare delivery. Furthermore, digital health technologies, such as telemedicine and mobile health apps, can enhance access to health services, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs.

For SDG 13, technology offers powerful tools for mitigating and adapting to climate change. Renewable energy technologies can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while climate information services can enhance resilience to climate impacts. Furthermore, digital technologies can facilitate the monitoring and reporting of climate actions, contributing to greater transparency and accountability.

However, the benefits of technology are not automatic, and there are significant challenges to overcome, including the digital divide, cybersecurity threats, and ethical issues related to privacy and data ownership. Thus, policy interventions and multi-stakeholder partnerships are needed to ensure that technology serves as a catalyst for sustainable development and does not exacerbate inequalities.

Elsevier,

Journal of Responsible Technology, Volume 12, December 2022, 100048

An investigation, linking particularly well to SDGs 10 and 5 focusing on equality, which shows how researchers can actively engage with equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in their work, and how EDI considerations must remain an ongoing effort. The authors, working in the field of responsible research and innovation (RRI), intentionally employed EDI in their project recruitment, and reflect here on the adjustments they made as a result. The recruitment of persons with disabilities led to some particularly interesting and new insights in this study looking at trustworthiness in the design of autonomous systems with evolving functionality.
In this study, ornamental tobacco floral nectar was found to be the source of numerous peptides, some showing antifungal or antibacterial activities. The characterization of these peptides could open new roads of research with potential applications in crop protection and pollination, public health and, more generally, biotechnologies.
Authors introduce a form of analysis that not only has a high accuracy in speech emotion recognition but is also accurate for depression recognition.
Blue energy recovery to increase water sustainability in wastewater treatment plants supporting SDG 6. Sustainable alternatives for water remediation in coastal wastewater treatment plants is discussed as well as the Influence of the main components and variables of a reverse electrodialysis stack.
Elsevier,

Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Technologies for Improved Environmental Performance, Second Edition, 2022, pp 681-710

This chapter advances the UN SDG goals 7, 11, and 12 by analysing the current status of fuel cell electric vehicles as one of the viable solutions to address the implementation of FCEVs from an electrochemical and market point of view.
Elsevier,

Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Technologies for Improved Environmental Performance, Second Edition, 2022, pp 571-611

This chapter advances the UN SDG goals 7, 11, and 12 by discussing battery design and function for electric vehicles, focusing on CO2 reduction.
This chapter advances the UN SDG goals 7, 11, and 12 by reviewing the main renewable fuel production pathways and potential energy carriers for ships, and evaluating their sustainability.
A Viewpoint, in the context of SDG 3 and 9, exploring the impact and potential of China's Smart Eldercare model, which harnesses digital technologies to improve the quality of life of China's fast-expanding ageing population, including nearly 10 million people with Alzheimer's disease.
Elsevier,

Mahfuz Kabir, Zobaidul Kabir, Nigar Sultana, Chapter 14 - Climate change, sustainability, and renewable energy in developing economies, Editor(s): Imran Khan, Renewable Energy and Sustainability, Elsevier, 2022, Pages 377-415, ISBN 9780323886680, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-88668-0.00001-2.

This chapter advances the UN SDG goals 7, 11, and 12 by discussing the challenges and prospects of adopting renewable energy technologies, and making recommendations on the incentives and investment in research and development, market expansion, and the government's pro-active fiscal and monetary policy support to facilitate the rapid expansion of renewable energy in developing economies.
World Smart Energy Week is the world’s leading comprehensive B-to-B trade show for smart and renewable energy held twice a year in Japan. The show aims to provide a platform for professionals from across Japan, Asia, and the world to negotiate and network for the future of smart and renewable energy business. This supports SDG 9: to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

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