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.

The study finds that Chinese listed companies' increasing carbon footprints, primarily from value chain emissions, are associated with higher expected returns, indicating a carbon damage risk premium recognized by investors.
Elsevier,

Next Generation Renewable Thermal Energy Harvesting, Conversion and Storage Technologies, Emerging Technologies and Materials in Thermal Engineering Series, 2026, Pages 177-216

This chapter supports the UN SDGs by advancing sustainable and affordable clean energy (SDG 7), promoting industry innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9), and ensuring responsible consumption and production through improved nanomaterial coatings for solar energy efficiency (SDG 12).

Elsevier,

Ramesh K. Guduru, Neha Tiwari, Jigar Mali, Chapter 3 - Decarbonization technologies and strategies, Editors: Sunil Kumar, Achinta Bera, Decarbonizing the Petroleum Industry, Elsevier, 2026, Pages 85-130.

This chapter supports UN SDG 13, Climate Action. The chapter's focuses on technologies like CCUS and renewable energy integration that directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the petroleum sector.

Elsevier,

Nawal Noshad, Suhaib Umer Ilyas, Shwetank Krishna, Serene Sow Mun Lock, Syahrir Ridha, Chapter 9 - Case studies in decarbonization of the petroleum industry, Editor(s): Sunil Kumar, Achinta Bera, Decarbonizing the Petroleum Industry, Elsevier, 2026, Pages 325-348

This chapter supports UN SDG 17 by highlighting collaborative decarbonization efforts among global petroleum companies, emphasizing the role of partnerships in achieving sustainability.

The study highlights that per capita consumption and income are primary drivers of China's industrial process-related GHG emissions, with emission intensity and product structure changes serving as key offsetting factors, emphasizing the importance of macroeconomic and technological considerations for effective mitigation.
Elsevier,

Hydrogen Production, Transportation, Storage, and Utilization: Theoretical and Practical Aspects, 2025, Pages 417-501

The chapter supports multiple UN SDGs—particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships)—by emphasizing the transition to sustainable hydrogen solutions, advancing infrastructure, promoting innovation, and highlighting the importance of international collaboration to achieve a low-carbon energy future.

This chapter aligns with UN SDG Goals 6, 9 and 12 by highlighting the innovative use of cocoa waste in water treatment and bioremediation, thereby promoting sustainable practices that improve water quality and resource management.
Elsevier,

Advanced Technologies in Wastewater Treatment: Waste Water Treatment of Leather Industry, 2025, Pages 63-92

This chapter aligns with UN SDG Goals 6, 9 and 12 by promoting clean water, reducing pollution, and supporting sustainable water management practices.
Humanity is in the midst of a switch of energy sources to power the world, moving to renewables while phasing out fossil fuels. Yet, this process requires many decades and a set of temporary mitigation measures for processes that are required to continue. In this chapter, we explore decarbonization strategies like carbon capture and storage/utilization (CCS/CCU), their role in the current energy picture, and the roadmaps toward net-zero emissions operations in the medium term. Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of methods like pre- and postcombustion, as well as oxy-fuel combustion and membrane separation, provides us with a framework for action and a list of best practices to implement these techniques across different contexts. Applications vary in their levels of maturity, and some of them have suffered setbacks, yet we are only at the beginning stages of a promising path to achieving net-zero emissions across many different sectors. In this sense, the success of CCS/CCU projects is also dependent on the participation of other actors such as citizens, policymakers, governments, and international organizations. Because of this, the right regulatory frameworks need to be provided, and a joint effort that spans different disciplines is required for decarbonization efforts to come to fruition. A global transformation is, in the end, a challenge that can only be tackled by the best minds coming together and developing synergistic associations.
Elsevier,

Low Cost Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems: Conventional and Recent Advances, 2025, Pages 41-69

This chapter aligns with UN SDG Goals 6, 9 and 12 by exploring phytoremediation as a sustainable technique for treating contaminated freshwater resources, thereby addressing pollution and promoting the safe use of water in agriculture and households.

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