Albania

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targets

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

Infrastructure is a key component of a functioning economy and is fundamental to the livelihoods of billions of people throughout the world. It has long been recognised that growth in productivity and incomes, and improvements in health and education, require investments in infrastructure.

The term “infrastructure” refers to structures, systems and facilities serving the economy of a business, industry, country, city, town or other area, including the services and facilities necessary for its economy to function. The term is typically used in relation to the existence or condition of costly “technical structures” such as roads, bridges, tunnels or other constructed facilities such as loading docks, cold storage chambers, electrical capacity, fuel tanks, cranes, overhead clearances, or components of water supply, sewers, electrical grids and telecommunications. Infrastructure thus comprises improvements that require significant expense to develop or install, but that return an important value over time. There are various types of infrastructure:

“Hard” infrastructure refers to the large physical networks necessary for the functioning of a modern industrial nation. Engineers generally limit the use of the term to describe fixed assets. Urban or municipal infrastructure comprises hard infrastructure systems generally owned and operated by municipalities, such as streets, water supply systems and sewers. It may also include some of the facilities associated with soft infrastructure, such as parks, public pools, schools, hospitals and libraries.
“Soft” infrastructure refers to all the institutions that are required in order to maintain the economy, health, and cultural and social standards of a country, such as the financial, education, health care, government and law enforcement systems, as well as the emergency services.
“Green” infrastructure is a concept that highlights the importance of the natural environment in decisions about land-use planning. In particular, it refers to the “life support” functions provided by networks of natural ecosystems, with an emphasis on interconnectivity to support long-term sustainability. Examples include clean water and healthy soils, as well as more anthropocentric functions such as recreation and providing shade and shelter in and around towns and cities.
In other applications, the term infrastructure may refer to information technology (IT), informal and formal channels of communication, software development tools, political and social networks, or beliefs held by members of particular groups. Nevertheless, underlying these more conceptual uses is the idea that infrastructure provides organising structure and support for the system or organisation it serves, be it a city, a nation, a corporation, or a collection of people with common interests. Examples include IT, research, terrorist, employment and tourism infrastructure.

Investments in infrastructure — transport, irrigation, energy, and information and communication technology — are crucial to achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries:

The sustainability of an infrastructure system refers to its ability to meet service needs in a manner that does not make wasteful use of resources, minimises or reverses environmental damage, and improves social equality. Sustainable infrastructure systems are those that: preserve natural capital, including diversity; reduce environmental impact(s); increase service value; advance social inclusiveness and equality; promote transparency and accountability; and strengthen human and labour rights and improve working conditions.
The resilience of an infrastructure system refers to its ability to maintain and recover functionality in the face of stresses and shocks, whether these can be anticipated or not. For an infrastructure system to be resilient, it must: be cognizant of change and uncertainty; be robust and designed to anticipate potential failures; be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances; be resourceful in order to maintain or restore functionality when faced with shock or stress; include redundancy and build spare capacity to support continuity and accommodate pressures and changes in demand; be inclusive and broad in scope to favour social acceptance; and be integrated with other societal systems to support the achievement of common outcomes.

With the dramatic rise in natural disasters caused by the negative impacts of climate change, the importance of sustainable and resilient infrastructure is becoming increasingly clear to cities, financers and project developers around the world. Although 75 percent of the infrastructure that needs to be in place by 2050 does not exist today, momentum is building in relation to international objectives such as the SDGs, and the importance of integrating best practice into infrastructure design has never been greater.

Albania

Bosnia and
Herzegovina

Kosovo*

FYR Macedonia

Montenegro

Serbia

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

Industrialisation refers to the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one, involving the extensive reorganisation of an economy for the purposes of manufacturing.

The first Industrial Revolution took place between the mid-18th and early 19th centuries in certain parts of Europe and North America. During this period, many people abandoned agricultural work in order to take higher-paid jobs in factories in towns and cities.

The second Industrial Revolution refers to changes in the mid-19th century, following the refinement of the steam engine, the invention of the internal combustion engine, the harnessing of electricity, and the construction of canals, railways and electric power lines. The invention of the assembly line gave the phase further momentum, and coal mines, steelworks and textile factories replaced homes as the place of work.

The term “inclusive industrialisation” refers to industrial development that includes all countries and all peoples, and offers equal opportunities and an equitable distribution of the benefits of industrialisation to all stakeholders. The term “sustainable industrialisation” addresses the need to decouple the prosperity generated from industrial activities from excessive natural resource use and negative environmental impacts.

In general, industrialisation is part of a process where people adopt easier and cheaper ways to make things. Using better technology, it becomes possible to produce more goods in a shorter time, and a single individual can produce more things. Since industrialisation, people have also done more specialised jobs.

The impact of industry on poverty eradication, environmental sustainability and food security is ultimately defined by the pattern of industrialisation that a country chooses to follow:

Today, with poverty as the central challenge for our world, industrial activities continue to be a crucially important source of employment, accounting for almost 500 million jobs worldwide, representing about a fifth of the world’s workforce. Manufacturing industries and their related service sectors can absorb large numbers of workers, provide them with stable jobs, and increase the prosperity of their families and communities. An efficient agro-industry enhances economic stability for rural households, increases food security and helps achieve economic transformation.
Experience shows that environmentally sound production methods in industry can significantly reduce environmental degradation. We now have the capabilities for cleaner industrial production: green industries can deliver environmental goods and services.
Committing to sustainable production patterns makes business sense. It reduces the waste of costly resources and contributes to increased competitiveness. Similarly, since energy inputs represent an important area of expense for industries, clean energy and energy efficiency have progressively become core determinants of economic competitiveness and sustained growth.

A long-term strategy can put into place a framework for stable industry. It can also create incentives for investments in the necessary education, infrastructure, product quality, agribusiness solutions, innovation and entrepreneurial skills.

Albania

Bosnia and
Herzegovina

Kosovo*

FYR Macedonia

Montenegro

Serbia

Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 60 to 70 percent of jobs in most OECD countries, with a particularly large share in Italy and Japan and a relatively smaller share in the United States. They also account for a disproportionately large share of new jobs. Some evidence also points to the importance of age, rather than size, in job creation: recently established firms generate more than their share of employment. However:

fewer than half of start-ups survive for more than five years, and only a fraction develop into high-growth firms that make important contributions to job creation;
high job turnover poses problems for employment security;
small establishments are often exempt from the requirement to give notice to their employees; and
small firms tend to invest less in training and rely relatively more on external recruitment for raising competence.

Small and medium-sized enterprises face the following specific problems:

Greater variance in the profitability, survival and growth of SMEs, compared to larger firms, gives rise to particular problems in financing: SMEs tend to face higher interest rates, as well as credit rationing due to shortage of collateral. Financing-related issues differ considerably between existing and new firms, as well as between those that grow slowly and those that grow rapidly. The expansion of private equity markets, including informal markets, has greatly improved access to venture capital for start-ups and SMEs, although considerable differences remain among countries.
Regulatory burdens remain a major obstacle for SMEs, as these firms tend to be poorly equipped to deal with problems arising from regulations. Access to information about regulations should be made available to SMEs at minimum cost. Policy makers must ensure that the compliance procedures associated with, for example, research and development and new technologies, are not unnecessarily costly, complex or lengthy.
Transparency is of particular importance to SMEs, and information technology has great potential to narrow the information gap. It would be very helpful to set up a “one-stop-shop system”, where all the necessary information that affects a firm’s strategies and decisions is made available in one place — as is already the case in some countries.

Many countries have programmes to support SMEs. A quarter of all public support programmes reported to the OECD target SMEs primarily. Germany, Iceland, Japan and New Zealand dedicate more than 50 percent of their entire public support programmes to SMEs. However, governments need to intensify their efforts to disseminate information, eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy, and make programmes more responsive to the changing needs of SMEs.

Between 30 and 60 percent of SMEs can be characterised as innovative. Innovative SMEs tend to be market driven rather than research driven, and quicker to respond to new opportunities than large firms. They play a key role in pioneering and developing new markets.

However, governments need to reduce uncertainties in the tax, regulatory and macroeconomic environment; ensure that business framework conditions do not impact unfavourably on the risk/reward ratio; and encourage the mobility of human resources and markets for specialised services. Although important for the economy as a whole, such actions will be of particular benefit to SMEs.

To ensure the success of SMEs, the following should be borne in mind:

In the early stages, management capabilities are crucial to survival.
As the firm matures, the importance of human resources and innovation strategies increases.
By the time the firm has become established, innovation is crucial for growth.
The fastest growing entrants are those that: translate strategy into action in the form of research and development, innovation and training; emphasise the hiring of skilled employees and employee motivation; and contribute to enhancing their capabilities in different areas — the last being particularly important in knowledge-intensive sectors.

The main barriers to the development of high-growth SMEs are market failures in capital markets; government regulations; indirect labour costs; lack of access to foreign markets; and difficulties in recruiting qualified staff and skilled workers.

Small and medium-sized enterprises owned by women are growing at a faster rate than the economy as a whole in several countries, making possible the capitalisation of the skills of educated and trained women, whose advancement might otherwise be blocked by the “glass ceiling”. The increased flexibility inherent in owning one’s own business allows women to contribute to the household income while balancing work and family responsibilities.

Albania

Bosnia and
Herzegovina

Kosovo*

FYR Macedonia

Montenegro

Serbia

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

Environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) protect the environment; are less polluting; use resources in a more sustainable manner; result in higher rates of product and waste recycling; and involve the handling of residual wastes in a more acceptable manner than the technologies they substitute. In the context of pollution, ESTs generate little or no waste. In addition, they are not simply individual technologies, but integrated systems that include know-how, procedures, goods, services and equipment, as well as organisational and managerial procedures. This implies that when discussing the transfer of technologies, it is also important to address the human resources development and local capacity building aspects of technology choices, including gender-relevant aspects. At the same time, ESTs should be compatible with nationally determined socioeconomic, cultural and environmental priorities.

Favourable access to, and the transfer of, ESTs, in particular to developing countries, should be facilitated by supportive measures that promote technology cooperation. This support should also enable the transfer of the necessary technological know-how and build economic, technical and managerial capacities for the efficient use and further development of the transferred technology. Technology cooperation involves joint efforts by enterprises and governments — that is, by both the suppliers and recipients of the technology. Successful long-term partnerships for technology cooperation require ongoing systematic training and capacity building at all levels.

The following should be borne in mind in relation to the successful promotion of ESTs:

The availability of scientific and technological information is essential for sustainable development. The primary goal of improved access to technology information is to enable informed choices, which will lead to access to, and the transfer of, ESTs and the strengthening of countries’ own technological capabilities.
A large body of useful technological knowledge lies in the public domain. Less-developed countries need to have access to technologies that are not covered by patents and that lie in the public domain.
Consideration must be given to the role of patent protection and intellectual property rights, along with an examination of their impact on access to, and the transfer of, ESTs.
Proprietary technology is available through commercial channels, and international business is an important vehicle for technology transfer. This pool of knowledge should be tapped and combined with local innovations to generate alternative technologies.
Recipient countries require technology and support to help further develop their scientific, technological, professional and related capacities. Such support would enable countries to make more rational technology choices.
A critical mass of research and development capacity is crucial to the effective dissemination and use of ESTs and their local generation. Education and training programmes should help to nurture EST specialists. The transfer of ESTs also involves their innovative adaptation and incorporation into local or national cultures.

The main activities to promote ESTs should include:

the development of international information networks linking national, regional and international systems;
support to technology transfer from governments and international organisations, in particular from the private sector to developing countries, via policies and programmes and by creating favourable conditions to encourage the private and public sectors to market and use ESTs;
capacity building for the development and management of ESTs, including the strengthening of existing institutions, the training of personnel, and the educating of end users;
the establishment of a collaborative network of research centres; and
support to cooperation and assistance programmes.

Albania

Bosnia and
Herzegovina

Kosovo*

FYR Macedonia

Montenegro

Serbia

Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

One role of the sciences should be to provide information to better enable the formulation and selection of environment and development policies. It is therefore essential to enhance scientific understanding, improve long-term scientific assessments, strengthen scientific capacities in all countries and ensure that the sciences are responsive to emerging needs.

Scientific knowledge is growing in areas such as climate change, resource consumption, demographic trends and environmental degradation. These and other areas need to be taken into account when working out long-term strategies for development. A better understanding of land, oceans, atmosphere and their interlocking water, nutrient and biogeochemical cycles and energy flows is essential if a more accurate estimate is to be provided of the carrying capacity of the Earth and its resilience to the stresses placed on it by human activities. This can be achieved through the application of modern, effective and efficient tools, such as remote-sensing devices, robotic monitoring instruments and computing and modelling capabilities.

The sciences should continue to play a role in improving the efficiency of resource utilisation and in identifying new development practices, resources and alternatives, including the less intensive utilisation of energy in industry, agriculture, and transportation.

Through scientific assessments, scientific knowledge should be applied to articulate and support the goals of sustainable development. Such assessments should contribute to the decision-making process, and to the interactions between the sciences and policy making. An increase in scientific capacities and capabilities is also required. It is particularly important for scientists from developing countries to participate fully in international scientific research programmes that address the global problems of environment and development, so that all countries are able to participate on an equal footing in the related negotiations. Faced with the threat of irreversible damage to the environment, lack of scientific understanding should not be used as an excuse for postponing action. The precautionary approach should be the basis for policies related to complex systems that are not yet fully understood, and the consequences of which cannot yet be predicted.

In this context, the role of science in promoting sustainable development requires strong support in four main areas:

Strengthening the scientific basis for sustainable management — The primary objective is for each country to identify the state of its scientific knowledge and its research needs and priorities in order to achieve, as soon as possible:

the widening of the scientific base and the strengthening of scientific and research capacities and capabilities in areas relevant to environment and development;
the improvement of environment and development policy formulation;
greater interaction between the sciences and decision making;
the generation and application of indigenous and local knowledge in order to achieve sustained levels of development;
better cooperation between scientists by promoting interdisciplinary research programmes and activities; and
public participation in setting priorities, and in decision making related to sustainable development.

Enhancing scientific understanding — One key objective is to improve awareness of the links between human and natural systems and to create the analytical and predictive tools required to achieve a better understanding of the environmental impacts of development options by:

carrying out research into the carrying capacity of the Earth and its natural systems;
developing and applying new analytical and predictive tools in order to assess more accurately the ways in which the Earth’s natural systems are being increasingly influenced by human actions; and
integrating the physical, economic and social sciences in order to understand the impacts of economic and social behaviour on the environment, and of environmental degradation on local and global economies.

Improving long-term scientific assessment — The primary objective is to provide assessments of the current status and trends in major development and environment issues at the national, sub-regional, regional and global levels on the basis of the best available scientific knowledge in order to develop alternative strategies, including indigenous approaches, for long-term policy formulation.
Building scientific capacity and capability — The primary objective is to improve the scientific capacities of all countries with specific regard to:

providing education, training, and facilities for local research and development and human resources in basic scientific disciplines and environment-related sciences, making use of traditional and local knowledge where appropriate;
increasing the number of scientists — in particular women — in developing countries;
significantly reducing the exodus of scientists from developing countries and encouraging those who have left to return;
improving access to relevant information with the aim of improving public awareness and public participation in decision making;
involving scientists in national, regional and global environment and development research programmes; and
updating scientists from developing countries in their respective fields of knowledge.

Albania

Bosnia and
Herzegovina

Kosovo*

FYR Macedonia

Montenegro

Serbia

activities

Role play

Brainstorm

Research

Brainstorm

Research

Watch

Role play

Research

Watch

Research

Visit

Debate

Visit

Solve

The Old Oak Tree

Ask one of the students to introduce the case of the “Old Oak Tree” to the rest of the class.

The Old Oak Tree

A very important infrastructure project involving the construction of a cross-border highway is currently under way. However, during the environmental impact assessment, a significant omission was made. A 600-year-old oak tree standing on the planned route of the new highway was not recorded. The tree is over 40 metres tall and has a circumference of over 7 metres. It is one of only a few trees of this size in the country. In addition to its exceptional natural value, the tree is of unique importance, venerated by the local population and used as the focus of local celebrations.

Assign specific roles to your students (individually or in groups) to discuss the case.

After completing the role play exercise, encourage your students to draw conclusions and find the best possible solution to the dilemma.

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For and Against

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Wise Investments

Explain to your students the significance of wise investments in infrastructure. Introduce the terms “green infrastructure” and “sustainable infrastructure systems” using text from Goal 9/Target 1.
Start a discussion on the topic “Investments for priority infrastructure in my country”.
Suggest the following sectors:

Transportation
Tourism
Sustainable industry
Telecommunications

Ask students to explain their views. Are there any conflicts of interest between economic development and environmental protection? How can infrastructure projects be made greener and more sustainable?

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Sustainable Industry

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What’s Good about Green?

Explain to your students that the key advantage of green infrastructure lies in the fact that it fulfils multiple functions. Use the example of roofing options. A regular roof has one function, while a “green roof” fulfils a number of additional functions. The plants cultivated on the green roof:

provide good insulation in both winter and summer, resulting in lower energy consumption for both heating and cooling;
contribute to purifying the air and mitigating the impacts of climate change; and
create a pleasant place for rest and relaxation.

Ask your students to think about what kind of measures could be implemented to help “green”:

their school;
their homes;
their community.

Ask your students to:

undertake more detailed research on the advantages of green infrastructure; and
present examples of green infrastructure projects.

The presentations can be made either during a lesson, or at a special occasion such as Earth Day or a dedicated school event.

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Business Ideas

Industrial Efficiency

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Sustainable Industry

Using text from Goal 9/Target 2, explain to your students:

the importance of national industrial development; and
the meaning of the term “sustainable industry”, and why it must take precedence.

Ask your students to come up with ideas for creating new jobs in industry.

Potential industries might include:

the fruit and vegetable processing industry;
the wood processing and furniture manufacturing industries;
the fish processing industry, or the use of other marine resources;
the processing of medicinal herbs; and
the cultivation of forest products and forest fruits (strawberries, blueberries, mushrooms).

(Proposed duration: one lesson)

After the brainstorming, students might be asked to undertake research based on the ideas in the research section.

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Wise Investments

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Industrial Impacts

Using text from Goal 9/Target 2, explain to your students:

the importance of national industrial development; and
the meaning of the term “sustainable industry”, and why it must take precedence.

Ask your students to come up with answers to the following questions using the Internet and other media, and by talking to friends and family: What would be the best industry to start up in the town in order to create new jobs? What would be the advantages of that particular industry? What would be the impact of the industry on the environment? How could it be reduced? Would they like to work in that industry themselves? Why? Why hasn’t such an industry already been set up in the town?

Students should work either individually or in groups.

After two weeks, ask your students to present the results (using PowerPoint, for example). Organise a class discussion based on questions such as: Which type of industry would be the best choice? Have any types of industry been omitted? How many of your students would/would not like to work in that industry?

Proposed duration of the presentation/discussion: one or two lessons, depending on the number of presentations prepared.

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Top 20 best small business ideas for beginners

Watch the video with your students and initiate a discussion on:

which of the ideas would be appropriate for their community;
which of the ideas they would choose as a start-up;
the reasons for their preferences; and
whether they have other ideas that are not shown in the video.

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Amazing Eco-friendly Technology

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For and Against

Based on the results/written projects from the Research activity under Goal 9/target 3, organise a role play exercise involving the following roles:

Continue the discussion with the class as a whole. Do all the students agree with the choice made? Ask them to explain their views.

Proposed duration: two lessons.

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The Old Oak Tree

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Business Ideas

Explain to your students the economic importance of small and medium-sized enterprises. Using the information on Goal 9/Target 3, outline the problems and challenges such enterprises face. Emphasise the importance of self-employment and innovation, especially in the context of rising unemployment.
Ask your students to imagine that they have graduated from secondary school/university and are unable to find a job. They have an opportunity to apply for an interest-free loan of up to EUR 50,000, provided by the state to graduates who would like to be self-employed. Ask for volunteers to come up with ideas for their own business. What kind of enterprise would it be? Why would starting up their business be important for the local community? How many employees would they have? What kind of employment policy would they put in place?
Select several volunteers to write up these projects. Give them two weeks for research and writing, and then ask them to present the results.

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Amazing Eco-friendly Technology

After watching the video with your students, ask them the following questions:

Which of these technologies/activities could they use in their home/environment?
Which of them are easy to use, and which not?
What obstacles might hinder their implementation in your country?

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Top 20 best small business ideas for beginners

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Industrial Efficiency

Explain to your students that the development of sustainable industry means industrialisation that ensures the efficient use of natural resources and minimum negative impacts on the environment.
Ask them to share their ideas about sustainable industry.

Ask a group of students to find examples of sustainable industries that use natural resources efficiently. Their research might include using the Internet or other media, or talking to their friends and family. If they are unable to find appropriate examples from their own country, they can describe examples from other countries.
Ask a second group of students to find examples of industries that use natural resources with a low level of efficiency.

Give the students two weeks to carry out the research, then organise a discussion based on the results. Are there more examples of industries that use natural resources inefficiently, or more examples of industries with a high level of resource use efficiency? Why? How could natural resource use efficiency be improved?

(Discussion duration: one to two lessons.)

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Sustainable Resource Use

Explain to your students that the sound use of resources means either less waste generation in the production process, or the appropriate use of generated waste. Explain that a country makes less profit by exporting raw materials. Economic profits are far greater if finished products are exported (e.g. it is more profitable to export furniture than wood; and to export aluminium foil than aluminium).
Organise a site visit to a local factory/industrial plant. Arrange for your students to talk with employees, managers and engineers. Ask permission for your students to observe and take photos of the production process. How much waste is generated? How efficient is the factory’s use of natural resources?
Ask students to prepare presentations based on their observations and conclusions. These can be in the form of PowerPoint slides, posters or written reports. Encourage your students to come up with ideas on how to improve the production process and the efficiency of resource use.

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Research and Development

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Investments in Innovation

Explain to your students the importance of wise investments in industrial development. As a basis for discussion, ask your students which of the following investments they consider more promising:

improving already existing technologies;
investing in innovative technologies; or
opening new units/factories.

Contribute to the debate by providing the following facts:

The advantages of investing in scientific research include the more efficient use of resources; more efficient production; greater profits; less pressure on natural resources; and a focus on the development of cleaner industries, leading to less environmental pollution.
The advantages of opening a factory include creating more jobs; and increasing production, thus generating profits for the municipality/local community/country. If investments are made in scientific research, the expected improvements and innovations may not be achieved.

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Research and Development

Organise a visit for your students to a scientific institution or company where research is carried out into the improvement of industrial and technological processes. Create an opportunity for your students to talk to the researchers. Suitable locations include universities, scientific institutes, telecommunication companies, and companies with their own centres for scientific and research activities.
After the visit, ask the students for their impressions. What were the working conditions like at the institution/company? Were the employees happy with their working conditions and research results? How would the students feel about working in a similar institution? Why? How could the working environment be improved? How might similar institutions operate in more developed countries?

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Sustainable Resource Use

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How much do you know about Goal 9?

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