According to the RELX SDG Resource Centre, the publishing industry is increasingly viewed as a direct contributor to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Books help disseminate knowledge, shape public awareness, build consensus and inspire action, contributing to goals ranging from quality education (SDG 4) and gender equality (SDG 5) to reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and strong institutions (SDG 16).
The SDG Publishers Compact, which has attracted around 300 publishing houses, demonstrates how the industry is moving beyond merely “reflecting” social issues to actively contributing to solutions.
Data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) show that the global literacy rate has reached approximately 87%. However, around 739 million people remain illiterate, of whom roughly 70% are women. The problem is concentrated mainly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa—regions facing significant development challenges—highlighting the close link between knowledge gaps and inequality.
By contrast, developed countries maintain literacy rates above 96%, supported by long-term investment in knowledge ecosystems. Yet access alone is not enough. Around 251 million children and young people worldwide still lack basic literacy skills despite attending school.
Language also remains a major barrier. The global publishing market is dominated by a limited number of major languages, even though children learn most effectively in their mother tongue. As a result, multilingual publishing initiatives are increasingly being promoted as part of sustainable development strategies.
Experiences from around the world clearly demonstrate the importance of books. Each country has developed its own distinctive reading ecosystem.
Japan has cultivated a culture of tachiyomi—standing and reading books in bookshops—and has integrated reading into public transport systems and education from kindergarten onwards. The Republic of Korea has heavily invested in digital libraries and electronic publishing, with more than 90% of adults reading at least one book each year.
India is considered the world’s most avid reading nation, with individuals spending an average of more than 10 hours per week reading. Israel is often described as a “nation of books”, where reading forms part of religious practice and family traditions, and children are encouraged to debate and discuss what they read.
Finland maintains more than 700 libraries for a population of 5.5 million and records the world’s highest library borrowing rate, with residents borrowing more than 10 books per person annually on average. Libraries are designed as modern, multifunctional “public living rooms”, reflecting a reading culture deeply embedded in everyday life.
Germany, meanwhile, is regarded as a global publishing hub, hosting the world-renowned Frankfurt Book Fair and operating a fixed book price system to support independent booksellers.
In Kenya, mobile libraries and low-cost books have helped narrow knowledge gaps. These experiences demonstrate that every path to development passes through books.
Publishing is not only a social endeavour but also a major economic sector, generating an estimated 140–150 billion USD globally. E-books and audiobooks have expanded access to knowledge, while printed books continue to play a vital role in education.
If books are the foundation of knowledge, copyright is the foundation of creativity. In the digital age, this relationship has become even more evident. While the internet enables content to spread rapidly, it has also fuelled copyright infringement. Data from UK-based company MUSO show that there were 216.3 billion visits to copyright-infringing websites in 2024, including approximately 66 billion visits related to publishing content. Each year, around four million books are illegally downloaded, causing losses of about 300 million USD to the publishing industry. Total losses across the digital content sector are estimated at more than 75 billion USD annually and could rise to 125 billion USD by 2028 if effective measures are not introduced.
If books are the foundation of knowledge, copyright is the foundation of creativity. In the digital age, this relationship has become even more evident. While the internet enables content to spread rapidly, it has also fuelled copyright infringement.
Data from UK-based company MUSO show that there were 216.3 billion visits to copyright-infringing websites in 2024, including approximately 66 billion visits related to publishing content. Each year, around four million books are illegally downloaded, causing losses of about 300 million USD to the publishing industry. Total losses across the digital content sector are estimated at more than 75 billion USD annually and could rise to 125 billion USD by 2028 if effective measures are not introduced.
Against this backdrop, the World Intellectual Property Organisation has stressed that copyright is not a barrier to knowledge but a prerequisite for its creation. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly involved in content generation, the need for a balanced legal framework that promotes innovation while protecting authors’ rights is becoming more urgent than ever.
