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From Sustainable Development Goals to sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure: insights from the digital sphere

Author

Listed:
  • Enara Zarrabeitia-Bilbao

    (University of the Basque Country)

  • Maite Jaca-Madariaga

    (University of the Basque Country)

  • Rosa-María Rio-Belver

    (University of the Basque Country)

  • Izaskun Alvarez-Meaza

    (University of the Basque Country)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze and understand the digital discussion on Twitter (from 2016 to 2022) of the SDGs in general and SDG 9 in particular, based on a comparative approach and with a methodology using Python libraries for advanced data analysis, social network analysis (SNA) methods and artificial neural networks (ANN) models. To this end, 6,323,139 tweets about SDGs in general and 2,892,922 about specific SDGs were retrieved for further analysis. The results obtained show that SDG 9 generated less interest and a lower presence of women in the social discussion than other SDGs over the seven years studied; furthermore, the number of tweets about SDG 9 has decreased. However, the digital conversation among different actors does develop in a cohesive manner, sharing leadership and space. This study shows that there are exceptional peaks in the digital activity and the SDG topic goes from “sidestream” to “mainstream” in terms of the digital public debate when certain celebrities (specifically, the Korean music group BTS) interact with the initiative. Finally, SDGs do not generate controversy and there is no substantial difference in the distribution of sentiment and emotions between different periods and different SDGs.

Suggested Citation

  • Enara Zarrabeitia-Bilbao & Maite Jaca-Madariaga & Rosa-María Rio-Belver & Izaskun Alvarez-Meaza, 2025. "From Sustainable Development Goals to sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure: insights from the digital sphere," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 9407-9425, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:27:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s10668-023-04288-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-04288-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amal Marzouki & Arbi Chouikh & Sehl Mellouli & Rim Haddad, 2021. "From Sustainable Development Goals to Sustainable Cities: A Social Media Analysis for Policy-Making Decision," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-21, July.
    2. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
    3. Steffen Fritz & Linda See & Tyler Carlson & Mordechai (Muki) Haklay & Jessie L. Oliver & Dilek Fraisl & Rosy Mondardini & Martin Brocklehurst & Lea A. Shanley & Sven Schade & Uta Wehn & Tommaso Abrate, 2019. "Author Correction: Citizen science and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(11), pages 1063-1063, November.
    4. Steffen Fritz & Linda See & Tyler Carlson & Mordechai (Muki) Haklay & Jessie L. Oliver & Dilek Fraisl & Rosy Mondardini & Martin Brocklehurst & Lea A. Shanley & Sven Schade & Uta Wehn & Tommaso Abrate, 2019. "Citizen science and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(10), pages 922-930, October.
    5. Enara Zarrabeitia-Bilbao & Rosa-María Rio-Belver & Izaskun Alvarez-Meaza & Itziar Martínez de Alegría-Mancisidor, 2022. "World Environment Day: Understanding Environmental Programs Impact on Society Using Twitter Data Mining," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 263-284, November.
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