discuss the opportunities and challenges of GNT in service industry sector including (i) transportation and space industry, (ii) telecommunication industry, (iii) entertainment industry (iv) education and research, (v) electronic and photonics industry, (vi) healthcare industry, etc.5 To analyze the technological solution to realize the 17 sustainable development goals (SDG) of the United Nations.
The current status of NT research in different industry sectors is studied through a systematic literature review and the nanomaterial prepared using green and eco‐friendly methods and applications in some of the prominent industry sectors along with challenges and opportunities of GNT are also discussed. This technology analysis methodology is used to analyze the possibility of realization of the SDG of the United Nations.
3.4 Global Sustainable Development Goals
NT and ICCT are combinedly called twenty‐first century technologies and are potentially realize the SDG of United Nations Member States announced in 2015 with a slogan of action to end poverty, to protect the planet, and to ensure peace and prosperity by the year 2030. Table 3.3 lists the SDG and suitable 21st technologies to achieve them to balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. To realize each SDG based on the objective of an issue as maximum or minimum, suitable technologies are selected and proposed. It is argued that NT and ICCT, individually or combinedly, are capable to achieve global sustainable goals to a larger extent within the given target of 15 years [88].
3.5 Concept and Characteristics of Ideal Technology
Technology is a tool to solve many problems in society. The concept of ideal technology is a hypothetical technology that can solve all problems of human beings and provide luxury and comfort in life without affecting the society and environment. Ideal technology should have characteristics in order to elevate the quality of life to a unique level with perfect equality so that every human being in this universe should lead a happy and comfortable life and realize the so‐called concept of heaven on earth. Based on various factors which decide the ideal technology system characteristics, a model consisting of input conditions, output conditions, environmental conditions, and system requirements is developed [89]. The input properties are (i) Manipulate the fundamental nature of matter to provide solutions to the basic and advanced problems of mankind. (ii) In‐expensive and self‐reliable in terms of resources to make it attractive to be used by people/countries of varied economical situations. (iii) Ubiquitous so that the technology provides solutions and services at anytime, anywhere, any amount of time to the users. (iv) Affordable to everybody so that it uses common materials available in nature and manipulates effectively to the need of a human being at an affordable cost. The output properties are (i) Solve basic needs like food, drinking water, renewable energy, clothing, shelter, health, and a clean environment. (ii) Provide comfort life to the users by providing solutions to their desires. (iii) Equality: ideal technology provides equal opportunity and similar solutions to every user irrespective of their gender, religion, background, education, economic status, and country of origin. (iv) Automation: ideal technology automates all processes in every type of industry to avoid human interference in work/control in order to provide an expected output based on programming. (v) Immortality is the ultimate goal of ideal technology so that it can create an avenue for a deathless situation or enhancement of the human life span. The System Requirement Properties are (i) General purpose technology to support all fields and problems of human and living beings on the earth. (ii) Self‐directed, self‐controlled, and self‐regulated so that technology can control itself in order to achieve its goal. (iii) Easy, simple, quick, and user friendly to solve all types of problems and to provide a quick ideal solution. (iv) Scalable so that it is used for solving small and simple problems to large and complex problems of life. (v) Omni‐potent to identify and solve problems and provide comfortability to human beings and feeling him like God. (vi) Exploring new opportunities to improve and explore comfortability and further leisure in the life of people. (vii) Infinite potential for further development of life in the universe. The environment/external properties are (i) Maintain a clean environment through its processes and avoid the footprint of processes, while achieving specific functions. (ii) Infinite business opportunities by creating new products/services with ideal characteristics. (iii) Adaptive to any situation to achieve the stated goal. (iv) No side effects such that it should be safe for users and the environment. Any technology which has the above properties/characteristics is considered as ideal technology and conventional technologies have serious drawbacks/limitations in terms of the above properties [89]. One of the properties of ideal technology is sustainability and zero green gas emissions to the environment, i.e. ideal technology is green technology (GT). Every technology can be made sustainable by adding green components so that they can avoid environmental degradation and converted into green technologies to provide a clean environment for future generations.
Table 3.3 SD goals and suitable technologies to achieve them.
| Goal No. | Focus issue | Goal by 2030 | Objective | Technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reduce poverty | To zero | Minimize | NT |
| 2 | Reduce hunger | To zero | Minimize | NT |
| 3 | Health and well‐being | To everyone | Maximize | NT |
| 4 | Quality higher education | To everyone | Maximize | ICCT |
| 5 | Gender equality | To everyone | Maximize | ICCT |
| 6 | Clean water and sanitation | To everyone | Maximize | NT |
| 7 | Affordable renewable energy | To everyone | Maximize | NT |
| 8 | Decent employment | To everyone | Maximize | NT and ICCT |
| 9 | Sustainable industrialization | Everywhere | Maximize | NT and ICCT |
| 10 | Reduced inequalities among countries | To zero | Minimize | — |
| 11 | Safe and sustainable cities and communities | Everywhere | Maximize | ICCT |
|
12
|
