Jul 30, 2021 A report of how research and development is progressing in nearly 200 countries revealed that research, particularly in low- and lower middle-income countries, are increasingly aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are related to combating climate change. The 700-page report titled “The Race Against Time for Smarter Development“ was published in July 2021 by UNESCO and measured 56 topics across eight of the sustainability-related SDGs (SDGs 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15). The trends showcased countries and governments commitment to investing in research around digital and green transitions, in areas ranging from wastewater treatment to greenhouse gas emissions to desalination. Globally, the output of scientific publishing was 21 percent higher in 2019 than in 2015. The increase is even more impressive when zeroing in on low- and lower middle-income countries, which witnessed a 71 percent increase in scientific output. While China is fueling much of this growth for low- and lower middle-income countries, the collective advances in research on climate-related SDGs is encouraging.