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X-MINING What can we do for SDGs? Individual and corporate initiatives

The SDGs are now the focus of much attention, and we are hearing the words more and more on television and articles.

This article outlines SDGs, introduces what individuals and companies can do to help realize SDGs, and introduces our initiatives of Sumitomo Metal Mining.
This article provides an overview of the SDGs, what individuals and businesses can do to help achieve the SDGs, and our initiatives.

What are The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 17 goals and Their Importance

First, we introduce the outline of the SDGs and their 17 goals.

Outline of SDGs

The SDGs stand for Sustainable Development Goals. It refers to the international goal of achieving a sustainable and better world by 2030 and was adopted at the UN Summit in September 2015.

It comprises 17 goals and 169 targets, with both developing and developed countries actively working towards them.”

The 17 goals in SDGs

What are some of the 17 goals in SDGs?

1.No Poverty End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2.Zero Hunger End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3.Good Health and Well-Being Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4.Quality Education Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5.Gender Equality Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6.Clean Water and Sanitation Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7.Affordable and Clean Energy Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8.Decent Work and Economic Growth Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9.Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
10.Reduced Inequalities Reduce inequality within and among countries
11.Sustainable Cities and Communities Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12.Responsible Consumption and Production Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13.Climate Action Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
14.Life Below Water Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15.Life On Land Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16.Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17.Partnerships for the Goals Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Reference: THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development

Why are the SDGs considered Important

Why are the SDGs considered important?

In the past few decades, the world achieved economic growth and progress.

However, it is also true that there are various problems in the wake of economic growth. One of them is environmental issues such as global warming and air pollution. We are faced with several serious problems, such as rising temperatures and sea levels, droughts due to climate change, floods, and extreme weather.

Animals and plants are being depleted, land is being degraded, tropical forests are being depleted, poverty and forced labor are being heavily addressed. SDGs was adopted to address these issues across borders.

Achieving the 17 goals that make up SDGs will lead to the protection of the planet and its inhabitants. That is why it is a very important initiative.

What we can do individually in SDGs

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The goals of the SDGs are global, and at first glance, it might seem challenging for individuals to contribute towards achieving these goals.

However, it is said that there are times when individuals and corporations can engage in such activities. The United Nations Public Relations Centre publishes “The Lazy Person‘s Guide to Saving the World ” and introduces what we can do to achieve SDGs every human on earth.

In this document, the actions are divided according to the level of difficulty, and they are structured so that even those who have a difficult impression of SDGs can tackle them without any reluctance. In this section, we will introduce our efforts to achieve SDGs that we can achieve individually based on levels 1 to 3 of these guidelines.

Reference: United Nations Information Center

Do not waste water or electricity

Some environmental problems are exacerbated by the waste of energy. Using water carelessly can contribute to water scarcity, and generating electricity often produces CO2 emissions. As a result, problems such as water shortages and global warming become more serious.

In order to conserve limited resources and protect the global environment, we need to stop wasting water and electricity.

To save water, consider turning off the tap more frequently and storing water in a tub when washing dishes.

When using electricity, wasting electricity consumption can be prevented by turning off lights in unused rooms, turning off the main power of home appliances, and by reviewing the settings of air conditioners.

While there are many basic ways to save water and electricity that everyone is familiar with, there are many things in which they are not surprisingly doing. Let’s try to be aware of them again.

Use environmentally friendly services and products

It is also important to choose and use environmentally friendly products from among a number of services and products.

For example, using a service that reduces waste by sharing one thing with more than one person, or using a product that is manufactured so as not to generate carbon dioxide as much as possible, can help to stop worsening environmental problems.

Another initiative to reduce plastic waste is to carry your own bags and bottles. Nowadays, plastic bags are charged, and carrying one’s own bag is a friendly way to the environment as well as the family budget.

Reducing food loss

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, nearly half of all food losses in Japan occurs at home.

When food loss occurs, energy is used to dispose of it, causing a heavy burden on the environment. Naturally, food is also wasted.

Be aware of excessive purchases of foodstuffs in order to prevent food loss, as well as the use of parts that have previously been discarded without being used.

Local production and consumption, which consumes foodstuffs grown locally as much as possible, is also crucial to achieving SDGs because it reduces the volume of exhaust gases emitted when foodstuffs are transported.

Use public transportation

Vehicle exhaust contributes significantly to global warming and air pollution. Avoiding the use of automobiles by each individual and using public transportation instead leads to a reduction in exhaust emissions.

When going shopping in your neighborhood or visiting an accessible area, try to take a train or bus instead of a car.

Use sustainable and renewable energy sources

Energy mainly used in Japan is fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas, but these resources will be reduced to the point where they are used.

For fossil fuels that are decreasing to the extent that they are used, the energy that is believed to never be lost is sustainable and renewable energy. Specifically, it refers to solar, wind, biomass, etc.

These sustainable and renewable energies are characterized by being friendly to the global environment because they not only solve the problem of resource depletion but also do not emit greenhouse gases.

What Companies and Organizations Can Do for SDGs

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Next, we would like to introduce Level 4 of these guidelines, “Things you can do at work.” What kinds of initiatives can companies and organizations do?

Review the means of commuting

As explained in “What We Can Do Individually in SDGs,” if each individual commutes by car, the emissions of exhaust gases and greenhouse gases are considerable.

Therefore, it is desirable for the company to recommend using public transportation such as trains and buses or commuting on foot.

Use environmentally friendly products

Review the items you use in your business to see if they are environmentally friendly.

For example, simply switching to recycled paper for copy paper can reduce the burden on the environment.

Some companies are also taking steps such as not using paper resources for packaging and collecting and reusing used cardboard boxes. In addition to using environmentally friendly products, it is also important to reduce and reuse resources.

  • Adjusting Cooling and Heating
  • It is recommended that the temperature settings for air conditioning and heating used in summer and winter be adjusted to a level that does not make people sick.
  • This is also the same as for individuals, but corporate efforts will have a greater energy-saving effect than individual efforts.

Furthermore, it is easy to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature by using window materials, so it is also effective to take measures in combination with these materials. Sumitomo Metal Mining’s Near Infrared Absorbing Materials CWO™ significantly cuts sunlight, which is a factor in heat. Because of its high transparency, it is suitable for use in glass windows.

By applying it to glass or attaching a film-type version, it is possible to create bright spaces while cutting out light as a heat source.

Find out more about Sumitomo Metal Mining’s the near-infrared absorbing materials

Initiatives for Sumitomo Metal Mining's SDGs

Sumitomo Metal Mining is also working to achieve SDGs.

The most important issue: “responsible consumption and production”

Sumitomo Metal Mining’s long-term vision is to become the world leader in the Non-Ferrous Metal Industry. We have identified 11 Material Issues to address by 2030 and have outlined our approach by linking these issues to the SDGs, considering both growth potential and sustainability.

For example, the goal of “Building a Foundation for Industry and Technological Innovation” is linked to the issue of Effective Use of Non-Ferrous Metal Resources, and the goals of “Energizing Everyone and Cleanly” and “Specific Measures for Climate Change” are linked to climate change.

In this way, Sumitomo Metal Mining aims to contribute to the achievement of SDGs through its own important issue.

Sumitomo Metal Mining’s Vision for 2030

Potential for SDGs of Sumitomo Metal Mining Powder Materials

Sumitomo Metal Mining’s powder materials also have great potential to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

SDGs is particularly closely related to low-carbon load products, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For example, the near-infrared radiation absorbing material, which is one of the low-carbon impact products of the Sumitomo Metal Mining has been used as a agricultural greenhouse. Notoshichi, a textile manufacturer in Kahoku City, Ishikawa Prefecture, has developed a highly functional heat shield net called “Aotenjo”, by combining Sumitomo Metal Mining’s near-infrared ray absorbent material CWO ™ and its proprietary textile processing technology. The company has developed , and is expanding its sales network nationwide.

Using Aotenjo allows enough visible light required for crop growth into agricultural greenhouses while preventing the rise in room temperature.

The detailed examples are explained in X-TALK, so please take a look.

Changing agricultural vinyl houses. Reduce temp. by developing heat shield using SOLAMENT™

In addition to this, the possibilities for reducing greenhouses gas emissions with near-infrared absorbing materials.

By 2030, Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. aims to reduce GHG from low-carbon products by at least 0.6 million tons of-CO2.

If you feel that there is a possibility of using it, please feel free to contact us using inquiry form.

Summary

This article outlines SDGs, its importance, and efforts to realize it.

The SDGs are international goals that aim to achieve a sustainable and better world by 2030. The SDGs were adopted to tackle environmental issues that have arisen in the wake of economic growth, such as the decline of plant and animal life, land degradation, and tropical deforestation, as well as poverty and forced labor issues that transcend national borders.

Taking action to achieve the SDGs is important for everyone to enjoy equal happiness and lead healthy and prosperous lives in a better world. It also helps to protect the global environment.

There are many actions we can take to achieve the SDGs. Many of them are easy and quick to implement. Please look back on your daily life and see if there is anything you can do to help.

If you are a company, we would like you to consider Sumitomo Metal Mining’s low-carbon load products introduced in this column.

Let’s look for possibilities of utilization together.

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