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The materials science imperative in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals

Nature Materials volume 17, pages 1052–1053 (2018)Cite this article

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To the Editors — Materials science is core to developing new technologies that could potentially address challenges of ecological and economic sustainability. Yet most policymakers at international forums remain disconnected from the core constraints and opportunities in this domain. Most discussion of materials at the level of the United Nations or other development institutions tends to focus on mining and mineral extraction rather than a much broader and textured view of materials science1. The World Economic Forum (WEF) recognized this cognitive gap in 2016 when its founder Klaus Schwab put forward the concept of a ‘fourth industrial revolution’ (4IR) in which technology merges the physical, digital and biological spheres of human activity2. To address this great transformation, WEF started to chart out a plan for a series of Global Future Councils, building on earlier Global Agenda Councils. Rather than renew the mandate of an earlier council on mining and minerals, WEF decided to form a council on ‘advanced materials’ co-chaired by Bernard Meyerson (chief innovation officer at IBM) and Privahini Bradoo (founder e-waste recycling firm Blue Oak Resources), and including 24 other experts from academia, government and a range of extractive and manufacturing industries worldwide.

The initial question posed to council members was: how will developments in the field of advanced materials in the next 10–15 years offer the most significant opportunities for society? The 15-year time frame corresponds to the timeline set for by the United Nations in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) they agreed on in 20153. Through a consensus process the council members arrived at three key areas where advanced materials could make the most palpable impact over this time period in meeting various SDGs. The first area focuses on the reduction of carbon emissions, and thus on the development of materials needed for clean energy technology infrastructure that would enable a transition away from highly polluting fuels while also improving resource efficiency4. Relevant to this area are also materials able to adsorb carbon emissions at source as well as assist in synthetic sequestration5. The second key direction is the boundless delivery of potable water: worldwide water salinity in the oceans and on land remains an imponderable hurdle to delivering a seemingly endless water supply. Nanotechnology applications on key advanced materials may help achieving development goals in this field, relevant to human health and food security6. The last key area focuses on antimicrobial action. In fact, the rising tide of drug-resistant microbes poses a serious challenge to development, and novel materials have the potential to counter their advance. Preventing the proliferation and exposure of pathogens to humans through antimicrobial macromolecules could mitigate drug-resistance evolution and greatly improve health outcomes7.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Energy and Environmental Policy Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA

    Saleem H. Ali

  2. Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Saleem H. Ali

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  1. Saleem H. Ali
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Correspondence to Saleem H. Ali.

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Ali, S.H. The materials science imperative in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. Nature Mater 17, 1052–1053 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-018-0228-9

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