SDG Goal 9: Build Resilient Infrastructure, Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization, and Foster Innovation

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 is centered around building robust and inclusive infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization, and encouraging innovation. It aims to ensure that all nations, particularly developing ones, have the tools and resources to grow their economies in a way that is both sustainable and resilient to future challenges, such as climate change and economic crises.

Building resilient infrastructure, encouraging sustainable industry, and stimulating innovation are the three objectives of Goal 9.
Investments in infrastructure, sustainable industrial development, and technical advancement are critical to economic growth, social development, and climate action. Sustained prosperity requires industrialization that, first and foremost, makes opportunities available to everyone and, second, is bolstered by innovation and robust infrastructure in the face of a fast shifting global economic landscape and growing inequities.
Global manufacturing, which is seen as the main driver of economic growth, has been slowly dropping as a result of trade disputes and tariffs even prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world economy has been severely impacted by the pandemic’s manufacturing downturn. High inflation, energy price shocks, ongoing interruptions in the supply of intermediate goods and raw materials, and the slowdown of the global economy are the main causes of this. African LDCs would need to alter their current course and greatly speed up their progress in order to meet the aim by 2030, even if LDCs in Asia have made tremendous strides. Nonetheless, the high-technology and medium-high technology sectors saw strong growth rates.

To what extent have we advanced?

Although 95% of people on the planet had access to a mobile broadband network by 2022, some places are still underserved.
With nearly all people on the planet (97%) living within range of a mobile cellular signal, there has been a notable increase in investment in research and development worldwide as well as funding for economic infrastructure in developing nations.

What must be done?

In many nations, investments in infrastructure—such as electricity, transportation, irrigation, and information and communication technology—are essential to attaining sustainable development and empowering local populations. Supporting LDCs, investing in cutting-edge technology, reducing carbon emissions, and expanding mobile broadband access are all crucial to achieving Goal 9 by 2030.

Why should I give a damn?

Innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive and sustainable industrialization may unleash competitive and dynamic economic forces that create jobs and revenue. They are essential to the introduction and promotion of new technology, the facilitation of global trade, and the effective utilization of resources.
For many of us, the rise of new industries translates into an improvement in our standard of living. The environment will benefit if industries adopt a sustainable approach.

How much does inaction cost?

The cost is high. Given that the sector is a key force behind the global development agenda to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development, ending poverty would be more challenging. Furthermore, inadequate sanitation, poor health care, and restricted access to education could result from a failure to advance technical innovation and upgrade infrastructure.

How may we be of assistance?

Create guidelines and criteria to guarantee that business projects and initiatives are managed sustainably.
Work together with the public sector and non-governmental organizations to support sustainable growth in emerging nations.
Consider the effects that industry has on your life and well-being, and utilize social media to encourage decision-makers to give the SDGs top priority.

Goal 9 targets
  • The manufacturing sector is still recovering unevenly and incompletely from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The growth rate of manufacturing worldwide decreased from 7.4% in 2021 to 3.3% in 2022. The goal of doubling the manufacturing sector’s proportion of GDP by 2030 is far from being achieved in the least developed countries (LDCs). Nonetheless, the high-technology and medium-high-technology sectors saw strong growth rates.
  • Although 95% of people on the planet had access to a mobile broadband network by 2022, some places are still underserved.
  • A decade-long trend of decoupling emissions and economic growth was reversed when global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy combustion and industrial processes increased by 0.9% to a new all-time high of 36.8 billion metric tons, significantly below global GDP growth.
  • Supporting LDCs, making investments in cutting-edge technology, reducing carbon emissions, and expanding mobile broadband access are all crucial to achieving Goal 9 by 2030.
  • Globally, the manufacturing sector’s employment proportion of all jobs decreased from 14.3% in 2015 to 13.6% in 2021.
  • Although 95% of people on the planet had access to a mobile broadband network by 2022, some places are still underserved.
  • In terms of GDP, research and development (R&D) spending climbed from 1.69% in 2015 to 1.93% in 2020. In the world, there are now 1,342 researchers per million people, up from 1,022 in 2010 and 1,160 in 2015.