The Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community

Inspiring stories

On the road towards achieving the SDGs

The shift from sustainability to justainability
Climate
June 29, 2021

The shift from sustainability to justainability

What can we learn from the many comparisons being made between the simultaneous crises of COVID-19 and climate change? Are these part of the same sustainability crisis? The pandemic has offered time for introspection and the opportunity to redefine sustainability, respecting an ethical relationship towards sustainable development.

Could this be the catalyst that moves us to “justainability”, where the intersecting goals of social justice and environmental sustainability meet? Will we finally change our approach to respecting the natural order?

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Digital circular economy: cornerstone to sustainability
Circular economy
May 25, 2021

Digital circular economy: cornerstone to sustainability

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Technological innovations for sustainable food systems
Food
April 23, 2021

Technological innovations for sustainable food systems

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The shift from sustainability to justainability
Climate
June 29, 2021

The shift from sustainability to justainability

Read more >
Digital circular economy: cornerstone to sustainability
Circular economy
May 25, 2021

Digital circular economy: cornerstone to sustainability

Read more >
Technological innovations for sustainable food systems
Food
April 23, 2021

Technological innovations for sustainable food systems

Read more >
Sustainable healthcare technologies to fight COVID-19
Health
March 23, 2021

Sustainable healthcare technologies to fight COVID-19

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More inspiring stories

Expert stories

Envisioning progress towards the SDGs

Paulo Gadelha
Research

Health technologies are crucial for future pandemics

Paulo Gadelha

Former President, Fiocruz

COVID-19 revealed in a dramatic way how health plays a central role in sustainable development. The pandemic disrupted with unseen speed and on a big scale peoples’ well-being, the economy and society.

This reflects that social, economic, and environmental determinants are deeply rooted in the unsustainable prevailing model of global development. International collaboration and roadmaps harnessing Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) are crucial to reach the SDGs.

Check how >

Health technologies are crucial for future pandemics

Paulo Gadelha

Former President, Fiocruz

COVID-19 revealed in a dramatic way how health plays a central role in sustainable development. The pandemic disrupted with unseen speed and on a big scale peoples’ well-being, the economy and society.

This reflects that social, economic, and environmental determinants are deeply rooted in the unsustainable prevailing model of global development. International collaboration and roadmaps harnessing Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) are crucial to reach the SDGs.

Check how >
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Policy

Building climate-positive and resilient global food systems

Gro Harlem Brundtland

Vice Chairman, United Nations Foundation

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, about two billion people in the world experience moderate to severe food insecurity. This trend will likely be exacerbated by the growing impacts of climate change.

To avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change and help farmers build resilience against future environmental and economic shocks, the global food systems need to be transformed. We must build climate-positive and resilient food systems.

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Building climate-positive and resilient global food systems

Gro Harlem Brundtland

Vice Chairman, United Nations Foundation

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, about two billion people in the world experience moderate to severe food insecurity. This trend will likely be exacerbated by the growing impacts of climate change.

To avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change and help farmers build resilience against future environmental and economic shocks, the global food systems need to be transformed. We must build climate-positive and resilient food systems.

Read more >
Hindou Ibrahim
Civil society

Advocating indigenous peoples’ knowledge in fighting climate change

Hindou Ibrahim

President, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT)

For the pastoralist Mbororo people in Chad to which Hindou Ibrahim belongs, climate change is not merely a series of warnings in a report. They depend entirely on nature and on what nature gives them: food, water, medicine, and fibres for clothing.

Her message as an indigenous environmental activist is, therefore, a simple one: we must re-build our relationship with nature for the survival of people and planet, and we must do this in partnership with indigenous peoples.

Check Hindou’s story >

Advocating indigenous peoples’ knowledge in fighting climate change

Hindou Ibrahim

President, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT)

For the pastoralist Mbororo people in Chad to which Hindou Ibrahim belongs, climate change is not merely a series of warnings in a report. They depend entirely on nature and on what nature gives them: food, water, medicine, and fibres for clothing.

Her message as an indigenous environmental activist is, therefore, a simple one: we must re-build our relationship with nature for the survival of people and planet, and we must do this in partnership with indigenous peoples.

Check Hindou’s story >
Eva Kaili
Policy

Making digital transformation work for the benefit of all citizens

Eva Kaili

Chair of the Future of Science and Technology Panel, European Parliament

As we move from one innovation wave to the next one, disruptive digital transformations are increasingly challenging traditional systems – up to the point of destroying the link between employment and income. We have to ensure technological innovation fosters inclusive growth.

That’s why, with the EU, we need to create a unique competitive advantage through innovation-friendly regulation that respect citizens’ social rights and individual rights. And we need to invest in social infrastructure, supporting social entrepreneurship and other areas of the social economy.

Check Eva’s story >

Making digital transformation work for the benefit of all citizens

Eva Kaili

Chair of the Future of Science and Technology Panel, European Parliament

As we move from one innovation wave to the next one, disruptive digital transformations are increasingly challenging traditional systems – up to the point of destroying the link between employment and income. We have to ensure technological innovation fosters inclusive growth.

That’s why, with the EU, we need to create a unique competitive advantage through innovation-friendly regulation that respect citizens’ social rights and individual rights. And we need to invest in social infrastructure, supporting social entrepreneurship and other areas of the social economy.

Check Eva’s story >
Alain Bernard
Industry

Pushing the boundaries of innovation to drive blue growth

Alain Bernard

Director, DEME

DEME continues to explore new horizons, looking for new ways to deploy its knowledge and expertise. Focused on its core strengths, DEME develops innovative solutions addressing global, worldwide challenges that relate to specific SDGs: rising sea levels, a growing population, CO2 emissions, polluted rivers and soils, and the scarcity of mineral resources.

DEME’s policy to develop such innovative solutions for blue growth is to reach out and join forces with partners to work across sectors and disciplines.

Check Alain Bernard’s story >

Pushing the boundaries of innovation to drive blue growth

Alain Bernard

Director, DEME

DEME continues to explore new horizons, looking for new ways to deploy its knowledge and expertise. Focused on its core strengths, DEME develops innovative solutions addressing global, worldwide challenges that relate to specific SDGs: rising sea levels, a growing population, CO2 emissions, polluted rivers and soils, and the scarcity of mineral resources.

DEME’s policy to develop such innovative solutions for blue growth is to reach out and join forces with partners to work across sectors and disciplines.

Check Alain Bernard’s story >
Karl Vrancken
Research

Building strong foundations for a globally connected circular economy

Karl Vrancken

Research Manager Sustainable Materials, VITO

Circular economy research efforts go far beyond matters of technology. There is no choice, really, as circular economy is indispensable in realising sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Networking and engaging in stakeholder processes have enabled researchers to put circular economy central on the policy agenda. Developing research alliances and learning from local circular economy initiatives help them build a strong basis for implementing smart circular economy practices. By setting up business innovation projects, they encourage entrepreneurs to develop sustainable business models.

Check the full story >

Building strong foundations for a globally connected circular economy

Karl Vrancken

Research Manager Sustainable Materials, VITO

Circular economy research efforts go far beyond matters of technology. There is no choice, really, as circular economy is indispensable in realising sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Networking and engaging in stakeholder processes have enabled researchers to put circular economy central on the policy agenda. Developing research alliances and learning from local circular economy initiatives help them build a strong basis for implementing smart circular economy practices. By setting up business innovation projects, they encourage entrepreneurs to develop sustainable business models.

Check the full story >

Latest news

Sustainable technology and innovation

Technologies which are critical for decarbonising the world
Climate
January 21, 2022

Technologies which are critical for decarbonising the world

Read more >
Source: McKinsey
Renewable energy capacity hits record growth
Energy
January 14, 2022

Renewable energy capacity hits record growth

Read why >
Source: The Guardian
Predicting the next decade’s top-10 technologies
General
January 7, 2022

Predicting the next decade’s top-10 technologies

Learn about all 10 >
Source: World Economic Forum
Technologies which are critical for decarbonising the world
Climate
January 21, 2022

Technologies which are critical for decarbonising the world

Read more >
Source: McKinsey
Renewable energy capacity hits record growth
Energy
January 14, 2022

Renewable energy capacity hits record growth

Read why >
Source: The Guardian
Predicting the next decade’s top-10 technologies
General
January 7, 2022

Predicting the next decade’s top-10 technologies

Learn about all 10 >
Source: World Economic Forum
Emerging technologies: the 2021 Top 10
General
December 17, 2021

Emerging technologies: the 2021 Top 10

See the top technologies >
Source: World Economic Forum
More news

Organised by 8 international co-hosts

Meet our partners from Brazil, China, India, Nigeria, South Africa and South Korea

The G-STIC conference is hosted jointly by VITO (the prime research and technology organization on cleantech and sustainable development in Belgium) and 7 other not-for-profit independent technology research institutes: CSIR (The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa), FIOCRUZ (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil), GIEC (Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, China), GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea), NACETEM (National Centre for Technology Management, Nigeria), TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute, India) and SDSN (the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network).