The Role of Industry 4.0 in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
Published at : 29 Jul 2019
Volume : IJtech
Vol 10, No 4 (2019)
DOI : https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v10i4.3341
Berawi, M.A., 2019. The Role of Industry 4.0 in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals. International Journal of Technology. Volume 10(4), pp. 644-647
| Mohammed Ali Berawi | Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI Depok, Depok 16424, Indonesia |
This note is
presented as part of the continuous discussion on how science and technology
contribute to improving quality of life and sustaining our planet.
Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
are established to end poverty, improve health and education, and promote
prosperity and well-being through environmental sustainability. The 2030 Agenda
philosophy of “no one left behind” requires global partnerships and
participation in the integration of environmental, social, economic, and
governance dimensions in the process of development. The concept of sustainable
development is conceived as a balance of sustainable economic growth and
ecological regeneration. Sustainable development requires the implementation of
appropriate environmentally friendly technologies that are both efficient and
adaptable to local conditions. In this situation, eco-technology can facilitate
the conservation and restoration of the environment through the integration of
engineering and ecological principles.
The development of science and
technology plays a significant role in
achieving SDG targets by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of new and
more sustainable development methods. Investments in green technology,
efficient and effective processes, safer materials, and improved performance
and outcomes are some of the results of such development. These actions show
how technological applications and developments have been utilized to comply
with the principles of social, economic, and ecologic welfare.
Developing technology, creating innovation, and
producing breakthrough solutions are critical for delivering SDG targets, from
eradication of poverty to improving food security to reversing climate change. Investments
are a vital instrument to foster appropriate technological development. Strong
collaboration in private and public partnerships will accelerate appropriate
and sustainable technological development, scale-up, and transfer in order to
generate more social benefits and economic returns while reducing environmental
impacts.
The development of frugal and high-tech innovation requires
the application of better solutions that produce effective products, processes,
and services to meet new requirements and needs. Achieving sustainable economic
growth will require changes in business processes. Industries need to become
energy and resource efficient and minimize waste. Technological developments for
utilizing renewable energy resources, building urban water systems and
sustainable public infrastructure, increasing food production, and producing
environmentally friendly materials and products are among the pathways by which
technology will significantly contribute to the achievement of SDG targets.
Through Industry 4.0, technology today plays a
significant role in sustainable social, environmental, and economic development.
Consideration of the scarcity and constraints of natural resources in new
technological development will lead to more robust and better technological
processes that produce more attractive products and services.
Information and communication
technology (ICT) is driving innovation, efficiency, and effectiveness across
all sectors and resources by providing everyone with the potential to access
and share information and then utilize it to create new opportunities. It is
changing the way businesses are managed. ICT can also be used to assist
governments in delivering better public services as well as creating smart and resilient
cities. ICT has improved the way we work and live as well as our outlook on the
development of urban areas. The fourth industrial revolution has made it possible
for us to transform production, management, and governance into more effective
and efficient systems in connected societies.
The well-being of our future is dependent on our production
of technology to govern our climate, health, social equity, and stability. Industry
4.0 can be used to mitigate problems and provide solutions for enhancing our
way of life through sustainable products and services. The creativity and
innovation of technological development contributes to improving the global
environment by producing green, resource-secure, and inclusive economies for
all. Furthermore, technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI),
data analytics, machine learning, 3D printing, etc. can be used to create,
expand, and monitor the effectiveness of sustainable development and
environmental compliance across the globe. Industry 4.0 can be efficiently used
to control and improve resources, energy, water, and waste by connecting and
automatically exchanging information via intra- and inter-systems. As
technology changes the way we live, it will continue to have a profound impact
on the way we regenerate and protect our environment through sustainability.
Challenges to future civilization—including population pressure, climate change, energy security, environmental degradation, water and food availability, and sustainable development—need to be wisely addressed. We are all given the opportunity to collaborate and work together to reduce inequality, end poverty, protect the environment, and improve our society’s quality of life and well-being. Sustainable development requires institutional and value changes as well as cultural adjustments. Sustainable development must be incorporated into mainstream policies to promote national and international cooperation.