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9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Investment in infrastructure and innovation are crucial drivers of economic growth and development. With over half the world population now living in cities, mass transport and renewable energy are becoming ever more important, as are the growth of new industries and information and communication technologies.

Technological progress is also key to finding lasting solutions to both economic and environmental challenges, such as providing new jobs and promoting energy efficiency. Promoting sustainable industries, and investing in scientific research and innovation, are all important ways to facilitate sustainable development.

More than 4 billion people still do not have access to the Internet, and 90 percent are from the developing world. Bridging this digital divide is crucial to ensure equal access to information and knowledge, as well as foster innovation and entrepreneurship.   

Read our stories to learn more about SDG Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

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Berita

Shein_online shopping
The fast fashion giant’s recent efforts to boost its green credentials, including in making new sustainability hires, could be linked to its ambitions to go public, say experts.
Seafarers_Rights_ILO
Seafarers are the backbone of the global maritime industry, but they're often illegally recruited, scammed into dangerous work and then abandoned at sea.
EDPR project in Singapore
The renewables giant is shifting roles away from its regional headquarters to Japan, Australia and Taiwan, while relocating some functions to Malaysia to cut costs. However, the firm anticipates ending the year with a similar headcount.
Philippines_Sea_Fleet_Technician
A new law paving the way for the promotion of natural gas has been labelled an “insult” by climate campaigners.
Semua Industry, innovation and infrastructure Berita →

Pendapat

farmers near wind turbines in Asia
Even if policymakers in developing countries see little value in pursuing large emissions reductions at the pace that climate advocates would like, climate-aligned development is still the best path forward.
Copper, nickel and silicon are the most critical to India’s mineral security due to exponentially rising demand trends and significant supply chain vulnerabilities
Through recycling, R&D and diversifying imports as well as by facilitating a regional market for rare earth minerals, the dependence on the Chinese supply chain can be reduced.
A date centre in Singapore
Although artificial intelligence (AI) offers positive benefits for Southeast Asia’s climate battle, the region should not look at its usage through rose-tinted glasses. Without careful consideration, such systems may inadvertently undermine and be counterintuitive to the very climate goals that they aim to achieve.
IMO ships
While many fear that Donald Trump’s re-election to office in the United States will undermine efforts to combat climate change, there have been two major steps toward widespread carbon pricing where it is needed most since March.
Semua Industry, innovation and infrastructure Pendapat →

Video

Cover image_The Liveability Challenge 2025_Innovation Dialogue
Funding for climate-related solutions has slowed down and it’s a ‘tough game’ for startups, said those familiar with the climate tech space at The Liveability Challenge Grand Finale 2025. What can founders and innovators do to bring an idea to commercialisation? And is Singapore an attractive-enough testbed?
Fireside chat with Dr Mark Konyn, AIA group chief investment officer
In this wide-ranging fireside chat moderated by Eco-Business CEO Jessica Cheam, AIA Group's chief investment officer Dr Mark Konyn asserts there is “no U-turn” among corporates invested for the long term, even as political regimes change amid a new world order.
KAS video intro
Studio EB From sponge cities to coastal forests, Asia is seeking ways to work with nature and prepare for the risks in a warmer-than-expected future. This Eco-Business video looks at what else cities need to do to strengthen climate resilience.
BCG video Eco-Business
Studio EB Asia's green transition pathways need to be socially inclusive given huge differences in economic development across the region, says experts at the Boston Consulting Group. State-owned enterprises have an "outsized" role to play, they add.
Semua Industry, innovation and infrastructure Video →

Audio

Sustainability professional should not be prescriptive with their solutions, says Aun Abdullah of real estate company Lodha.
In the latest episode of 'On the frontlines', the real estate giant's ESG head tells the EB Podcast that while there has been no pushback on climate action by corporate India, questions remain over whether the booming real estate sector is decarbonising fast enough.
Tsim Tsa Tsui in Hong Kong
Studio EB CapitaLand sustainability chiefs Vinamra Srivastava and Giovanni Cossu tell the Eco-Business Podcast that there is a viable path to net zero for the world's fastest growing cities.
Airplane-contrails2
Studio EB With alternatives such as sustainable aviation fuel still too expensive and low in demand for the aviation industry to consider, carbon offsets could be a way to reduce emissions – if used right. EcoSecurities and the International Air Transport Association tell the Eco-Business podcast how airlines can ensure compliance when new regulations become mandatory
EB Podcast Dubai Sustainable City
Eyes are on whether the city’s plan to build the world’s “greenest highway” will take off. The Eco-Business Podcast speaks to Marwa Nahlawi from Diamond Developers, the real estate developer behind Dubai's "Sustainable City" brand, which adopts a similar green spine concept.
Semua Industry, innovation and infrastructure Podcast →