Sustainability remains central to the Interreg Aurora program and was addressed in our project by focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals 9, 11, and 4. The funder requires selecting one primary, one secondary, and one additional goal. Choosing these goals was challenging because the 17 SDGs are interconnected and overlapping, requiring translation across national, regional, and local levels in developed countries. We relied on national translations for support. Our argument for SDG 9 is that we promote scientific and technological innovations that help build inclusive, resilient, and safe human settlements, as outlined in SDG 11. Innovation and digital technologies foster the development of knowledge societies by providing equitable, lifelong, high-quality education, as suggested by SDG 4.
Our take on SDGs
The project has contributed to scientific and technological innovation, including the development of a design tool for safe drone light shows. Using drones instead of fireworks offers several ecological benefits. An example related to SDG 11 is improved traffic information and winter road safety. To achieve this, advanced technologies have been used to develop a digital twin and conduct measurements at a test site, creating realistic conditions. SDG 4 is demonstrated through various concepts developed within the project. The design and demonstrations involved close collaboration with target groups, ensuring that the reasoning behind the ideas and the concept provides a solid foundation for new insights and increased knowledge.