How can quantum technologies advance the sustainability agenda?

As we approach the 2030 deadline established by the United Nations to progress the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, quantum technologies might offer a unique opportunity to advance the 17 sustainability goals, from alleviating poverty, to decarbonizing our planet, moving to renewable energies, and improving health and well-being for all.

The report, Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs, aims to provide some guidance on how quantum technologies might unlock value for society. To do this, the nascent ecosystem must work jointly to identify, prioritize and research quantum technologies – e.g. quantum computing, quantum sensing and quantum communication – that offer the chance to bring significant progress to our sustainability goals.

Quantum might well be the disruptive technology we were waiting for to turbocharge the race to the SDGs. Identifying quantum solutions that might achieve readiness in the next six years and have the potential to scale fast, affecting billions of lives, will be critical to impact the societal agenda in a concrete and tangible way.

However, several quantum technologies are still in the early stages of development. Some applications in the quantum sensing space may unlock value shortly, leading to practical usage in health and well-being (SDG3) and affordable and clean energy (SDG7), for instance. Quantum communication, on the other side, will ensure the ultra-secure transmission of data in a way that modern communication systems cannot today. Assessing the short-term potential of quantum computing, however, remains difficult. So far, there is no leading approach and different quantum modalities (e.g. superconducting, neutral atom, trapped ion, photonics, etc.) coexist showing a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages.

The power of quantum resides on its capability to advance every single SDG. But which quantum solutions should be prioritized? Some use cases identified by the Forum, such as water quality monitoring, Earth observation to support disaster preparedness, solar cell design, and climate modelling and weather forecast have a higher chance to trigger real and measurable impact, showing a multiplier effect and the capacity to boost several SDGs simultaneously. Not surprisingly, these same use cases are aligned to the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, a framework established by UNESCO to exhibit the complex and dynamic interrelationship across certain goals (see figure below).

Currently, the quantum for society ecosystem is embryonic. Only an orchestrated network of business leaders, policy-makers, international organizations and academia that works in this regard, will enable systemic change. To accelerate and enhance its development will require the commitment of all stakeholders involved, combining global considerations with local priorities and interests. Sub-Saharan African countries, for instance, need to access reliable drinking water (SDG 6), but often do not count with the tools and technology to make it happen. Quantum sensing and quantum simulation technologies might help to alleviate drinking water disinfection problems for millions of people in the region.

Social entrepreneurs experimenting with quantum technologies will struggle to get access to private funding due to quantum technologies’ lack of immediate return on investment. They will need guidance from the entire ecosystem to gain exposure, learn about governments grants, take part in open innovation challenges and collaborate with public-private partnerships.

The Uplink Challenge, for instance, was launched by the Forum in partnership with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Saudi Arabia to source start-ups that maximize the potential of quantum technologies to address key societal issues, including climate change, health and well-being, affordable and clean energy and sustainable growth.

Quantum computing’s tremendous opportunity relies on the possibility to outperform classical computers in three domains: molecular simulation and discovery in materials science and biology; optimization and risk management in complex systems; and AI and machine learning. By definition, a quantum advantage can be obtained when a quantum machine can solve a real-world problem faster and more efficiently than the most powerful supercomputer. But what if – in the quest for a greener computing paradigm – the advantage could be measured in terms of energy efficiency?

Proclaiming that quantum machines can provide energy savings compared to classical computers, however, is not that simple, as multiple factors need to be contemplated (e.g. quantum modality, cooling system, problem size, etc.). While scientists continue in their pursuit for a greener computing paradigm, finding more rigorous energy efficiency metrics for measuring quantum’s carbon footprint and building machines sustainable-by-design are highly relevant imperatives to fulfill the sustainability agenda.

Read the full report here: Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs.