Asia Pacific‘s leading platform for sustainable development
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
To adopt SDG 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure, in support of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, please contact us at partners@eco-business.com
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As Germany tries to find workers for its renewable energy expansion, private recruiters are building new migration pipelines from India.
Carbon & Climate
‘We need solutions’: Southeast Asia’s climate risks sharpen case for ocean investment
As Southeast Asia’s climate risks intensify, The Liveability Challenge is backing ocean-based innovations to help close the region’s funding gap for climate resilience and emissions reduction.
As Malaysia targets greater renewable energy penetration and data centres drive up electricity demand, experts say the country will need a more flexible, transparent and digitally enabled grid by 2035.
Most urban poor living in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, rely on pipe-borne water for their daily needs.
Carbon & Climate
Tiny glacial lakes in the Himalayas pose unexpected flooding threats
Opinion
Policy & Finance
War and climate
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz showed how quickly a regional conflict can throw global energy markets into chaos. By pushing governments toward coal and biofuels, the war could accelerate deforestation and undermine climate negotiations, with environmental consequences that will linger long after the fighting ends.
Southeast Asia’s nuclear push locks countries into long-term strategic alignments, reshaping regional autonomy as major powers compete for influence.
As great power rivalry intensifies in the Pacific, stronger regional cooperation could help small island states protect their sovereignty and avoid becoming dependent on larger powers.
Nepal’s deadly mountain disaster exposes gaps in cross-border early-warning systems as climate change makes cascading Himalayan hazards more complex and unpredictable.
Food & Agriculture
To end global hunger, invest in rural communities
Policy & Finance
Asia's natural disasters must not become financial crises
Policy & Finance
Southeast Asia and AI adoption: The return of cold war strategies
Videos
Speakers at Unlocking capital for sustainability Indonesia 2026 discuss how Indonesia can power its mineral boom without compromising climate goals or community trust
In this second episode of Eco-Business’s Resilience podcast series, Singapore's Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and youth sustainability advocate Man Jing Kong dives into what resilience means for the city-state with Jessica Cheam. Watch as they discuss everything from climate adaptation to mental health and building public trust as an AI-driven economy reshapes daily life.
EB Studio
Singapore's rapidly expanding digital economy is driving a surge in data centre energy consumption, creating new challenges for the country's low-carbon ambitions. This Eco-Business video explores how green software and efficient digital infrastructure can support sustainable digital growth.
Industry experts dissect what it means to adopt AI for sustainability, ranging from tackling rising environmental concerns to implementation of responsible governance.
Podcasts
In this second episode of Eco-Business’s Resilience podcast series, Singapore's Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and youth sustainability advocate Man Jing Kong dives into what resilience means for the city-state with Jessica Cheam. Watch as they discuss everything from climate adaptation to mental health and building public trust as an AI-driven economy reshapes daily life.
Energy
Geothermal is no longer an underdog technology, but a strategic advantage for the Philippines
EB Studio
Critical to the country’s energy security in the 1970s, geothermal is now re-emerging as the Philippines’ biggest clean energy advantage at a time when countries are seeking reliable, round-the-clock renewable power, says Francis Giles B. Puno, president and chief operating officer of First Gen Corporation.
Southeast Asian energy ministers will meet in October to discuss the future of the region’s power grid. GEAPP’s Kitty Bu tells the Eco-Business podcast what areas they must collaborate on, and how finance and industry can help.
Speaking from the INC-5.2 talks in Geneva, the Singapore Youth for Climate Action president argues that having no treaty is better than a watered-down pact with no limits on plastic production. But there is no explicit Asean-wide support for such caps now, she observes.
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