Access to modern energy services, improved efficiency and increase availability
and use of renewable sources would be an important step towards creating a better
social welfare.
Goal 8: Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth, Employment,
and Decent Work for All
About 50% of the world’s population still survives on the daily equivalent of about
US $2. Unfortunately, even having a job does not ensure escaping from poverty. It is
therefore essential for societies to rethink and update our economic and social
models designed for poverty eradication.
A continuous dearth of reasonable work opportunities, inadequate investments
and under-consumption entail an erosion of the fundamental social contract essential
to democratic societies: that all must participate in progress. Creating quality jobs
will continue to be the main challenge for nearly all economies, well beyond this
decade.
A sustainable economic growth implies that societies need to create the basic
conditions that permit people to work in quality jobs that kindle the economy
without harming the environment. Job prospects and reasonable working conditions
are also needed for the entire working age population.
Goal 9: Build Resilient Infrastructure, Promote Sustainable Industrialization,
and Foster Innovation
Infrastructure investments – transport, information and communication technology,
irrigation, and energy, inter alia – are crucial to accomplish sustainable development
and empower communities in many countries. Chapter 2 has also indicated the link
between productivity growth, incomes and infrastructure investments which also
enhance improvements in health and education.
Inclusive development is a basic income generator which permits rapid and
sustained improvements in standards of living for all people, and offers the technological possibilities to accelerate environmentally sound industrial development.
Technological progress may help to attain environmental objectives, for example,
increased resource and energy-efficiency. Development can only happen through
industrialization encouraged by technology and innovation.
Goal 10: Reduce Inequality Within and Among Countries
International aid has benefitted many countries by helping them to lift people out of
poverty. Vulnerable nations, such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), landlocked developing countries, and the LDCs (the least developed countries) have not
stopped their progress towards poverty reduction. None the less, inequality still
continues and access to health, education facilities, and other infrastructure services
still show some large disparities.
However, although globalization may have reduced income inequality between
countries, it has not always done so within the countries. If economic growth is not
inclusive, nor involves the three sustainable development pillars – economic, social
and environmental aspects – it will not suffice in reducing poverty.
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4 Infrastructure Vision for Sustainable Development
and use of renewable sources would be an important step towards creating a better
social welfare.
Goal 8: Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth, Employment,
and Decent Work for All
About 50% of the world’s population still survives on the daily equivalent of about
US $2. Unfortunately, even having a job does not ensure escaping from poverty. It is
therefore essential for societies to rethink and update our economic and social
models designed for poverty eradication.
A continuous dearth of reasonable work opportunities, inadequate investments
and under-consumption entail an erosion of the fundamental social contract essential
to democratic societies: that all must participate in progress. Creating quality jobs
will continue to be the main challenge for nearly all economies, well beyond this
decade.
A sustainable economic growth implies that societies need to create the basic
conditions that permit people to work in quality jobs that kindle the economy
without harming the environment. Job prospects and reasonable working conditions
are also needed for the entire working age population.
Goal 9: Build Resilient Infrastructure, Promote Sustainable Industrialization,
and Foster Innovation
Infrastructure investments – transport, information and communication technology,
irrigation, and energy, inter alia – are crucial to accomplish sustainable development
and empower communities in many countries. Chapter 2 has also indicated the link
between productivity growth, incomes and infrastructure investments which also
enhance improvements in health and education.
Inclusive development is a basic income generator which permits rapid and
sustained improvements in standards of living for all people, and offers the technological possibilities to accelerate environmentally sound industrial development.
Technological progress may help to attain environmental objectives, for example,
increased resource and energy-efficiency. Development can only happen through
industrialization encouraged by technology and innovation.
Goal 10: Reduce Inequality Within and Among Countries
International aid has benefitted many countries by helping them to lift people out of
poverty. Vulnerable nations, such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), landlocked developing countries, and the LDCs (the least developed countries) have not
stopped their progress towards poverty reduction. None the less, inequality still
continues and access to health, education facilities, and other infrastructure services
still show some large disparities.
However, although globalization may have reduced income inequality between
countries, it has not always done so within the countries. If economic growth is not
inclusive, nor involves the three sustainable development pillars – economic, social
and environmental aspects – it will not suffice in reducing poverty.
128
4 Infrastructure Vision for Sustainable Development