Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs

The report explores how quantum technologies can address complex global challenges related to the UN SDGs, such as carbon capture, healthcare, and water quality. It highlights that while fault-tolerant quantum computing is likely a decade away, quantum sensing and communication are more mature and can provide near-term value. The document emphasizes the need for a "glocal" ecosystem of public-private partnerships and targeted funding to ensure that quantum innovation prioritizes social well-being over purely commercial or geostrategic interests, while also investigating the potential for quantum to reduce the energy and water footprints of high-performance computing.

• Quantum technologies are maturing at different rates; while quantum sensing and communication solutions are available today, full-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers (FTQC) are expected to take a decade or more to develop.
• Quantum sensing offers immediate opportunities for the SDGs, particularly in healthcare through magnetocardiography (MCG) for heart diagnostics and magnetoencephalography (MEG) for neurological conditions, as well as in climate action via quantum gravimeters for monitoring sea levels and seismic activity.
• Quantum communication can enhance global security and infrastructure by providing ultra-secure data transmission, with China having already established a 4,600-km network and the EU working toward the EuroQCI infrastructure.
• The synergy between quantum computing and AI could accelerate the SDGs by improving drug discovery, such as Moderna's mRNA research, and optimizing urban traffic management for sustainable cities.
• Investment in quantum is currently characterized by a "dual-speed" approach where projects with strong industrial links (e.g., pharmaceuticals, energy grids) receive funding, while those with loose industrial links but high social value (e.g., ocean health) risk falling behind due to less tangible returns on investment (ROI).
• Venture capital for quantum is a niche sector representing less than 1% of total VC funding, with a significant bias toward hardware (over 95%) rather than software, which limits the growth of social innovators.
• Quantum computing may offer a "quantum energy advantage" by solving complex problems with lower energy and water consumption than classical supercomputers, though a rigorous framework for evaluating this efficiency is still needed.
• A "glocal" ecosystem is required to ensure equitable access to quantum benefits, combining global discovery processes to prioritize SDGs with local national agendas, particularly for developing regions like sub-Saharan Africa.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Quantum_for_Society_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs. 2024. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Quantum_for_Society_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs |date=September 2024 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Quantum_for_Society_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024quantum, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Quantum_for_Society_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }