Quantum Technology: A Revolutionary Path to Sustainability Goals

Jakarta, INTI - Amid the global challenges of sustainability, quantum technology is emerging as a pivotal tool to drive transformative solutions. By leveraging the unique properties of quantum particles, this cutting-edge technology is poised to revolutionize computing, sensing, and communication systems.

Exploring the role of quantum technology in addressing climate change, healthcare, and resource management has become highly relevant as organizations worldwide seek innovative methods to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The World Economic Forum (WEF), in collaboration with Accenture, a multinational professional services firm, has released a groundbreaking report examining quantum technology's potential contributions to the SDGs.

Quantum for Society: Aligning with SDG Ambitions

The report, titled "Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs", is a clarion call to policymakers, business leaders, and researchers to explore quantum computing, sensing, and communication applications for advancing sustainability efforts.

This comprehensive study highlights how quantum technologies can contribute to achieving the UN’s 17 SDGs, ranging from eradicating poverty to decarbonizing the planet and improving global health and well-being.

The report emphasizes that the quantum ecosystem must collaborate to identify, prioritize, and develop technologies with the potential for significant progress in meeting sustainability targets.

Key Areas of Quantum Technology

Three primary domains are spotlighted in the report: quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communication. Each offers unique advantages in addressing complex sustainability challenges:

1. Quantum Computing: This enables advanced simulations and optimizations for climate modeling, renewable energy systems, and molecular discoveries for health and materials science.
2. Quantum Sensing: By utilizing atomic-level behaviors, quantum sensors promise breakthroughs in medical imaging, environmental monitoring, and energy management.
3. Quantum Communication: Offering ultra-secure data transmission, quantum communication can safeguard sensitive environmental and healthcare information.

Real-World Applications and SDG Impact

Quantum sensing shows promise for short-term impacts, particularly in clean energy and healthcare. For example, quantum sensors could optimize renewable energy systems and enhance medical imaging accuracy.

In the longer term, quantum computing may address issues like water quality monitoring, disaster preparedness through Earth observation, solar cell design, and climate modeling. These applications align closely with UNESCO’s Water-Energy-Food Nexus framework, showcasing the interconnected nature of sustainability challenges.

A Call for Global Collaboration

The report underscores the need for a globally coordinated effort among business leaders, policymakers, international organizations, and academia to harness quantum technology effectively.

For instance, in Sub-Saharan Africa, quantum sensing and simulation could address critical issues like clean drinking water disinfection for millions. Similarly, supporting social entrepreneurs experimenting with quantum technologies is essential. Yet, they often face hurdles, such as limited access to private funding due to delayed return on investment.

The report advocates ecosystem-wide guidance to help entrepreneurs secure exposure, government grants, and collaborative opportunities through public-private partnerships and open innovation challenges.

Building Responsible Ecosystems

WEF has also taken proactive steps by launching the Quantum Applications Hub to promote responsible innovation and commercialization of quantum technologies. Additionally, initiatives like the Uplink Challenge, in partnership with the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Saudi Arabia, aim to identify startups leveraging quantum technology to address pressing social issues.

A Greener Paradigm for Quantum Computing

The report concludes by emphasizing the need for quantum computing to surpass classical computing in sustainability. Quantum machines show immense promise in three main domains:

1. Molecular Simulation and Discovery: Advancing health and material sciences.
2. Optimization and Risk Management: Solving complex system challenges in logistics and energy grids.
3. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Accelerating data-driven sustainability solutions.

However, the report cautions against prematurely claiming energy savings from quantum machines without considering various factors, such as cooling systems, quantum modalities, and problem sizes.

It calls for stringent energy efficiency metrics to measure quantum systems' carbon footprints and ensure they are designed for inherent sustainability.

A Path Forward

As stated by one of the report’s authors:
"Developing stricter energy efficiency metrics to measure quantum’s carbon footprint and designing inherently sustainable machines is a critical imperative to meet sustainability agendas."

Quantum technology, while still in its early stages, holds the potential to become a game-changer in addressing global sustainability challenges. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and responsible practices, the world can unlock its immense potential to achieve the SDGs and ensure a sustainable future for all.