The jobs done by microbes—bacteria, viruses, fungi and other single-cell organisms—enable all other species living by land, sea and air, and in our guts, to survive. Boosted by fast-paced technological advances in recent decades, scientists are learning more every day about microbial functions and how they can be put to use in protecting human health and the global environment.
And yet, microbial research remains underrepresented in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—something the scientists say should change to accelerate progress toward meeting the objectives.
Seven key pathways that microbial research and technology can be used to reach the SDGs. Credit: Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.07.051
The U.N. has outlined 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, to be addressed globally by developed and developing countries. Broadly, the U.N. describes the set of goals as an effort to end poverty and other deprivations while improving health and education, reducing inequality and spurring economic growth—all while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests.
