Technological Views for IoT for Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. A sustainable approach aims to maintain a delicate balance between the current resource utilization and future requirements. This implies meeting developmental needs without harming the resources ecosystem. IoT is spearheading the technological transformation of the world and can play a very crucial role in achieving sustainable use of resources. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the challenges faced to achieve a sustainable world and highlight opportunities that the use of IoT offers for achieving sustainable development. We briefly cover sustainability, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations, and IoT protocols and architectures. Next, we review various application of IoT in areas related to SDGs. Specifically, salient application areas covered include clean energy, healthcare, smart cities, climate action, food security, and some other selected applications. Finally, we briefly elaborate on a myriad of challenges in the use of IoT for sustainable development.