Sustainable development depends on high-quality infrastructure
By Grete Faremo, under secretary-general and executive director of UNOPS
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Over the past two decades, countries hit by climate-related disasters reported more than $2.2 billion in direct economic losses . But when we look at the response to natural disasters, we continue to see reactiveness. Time and again, there is a rush to fix damage, with only short-term goals in mind – restoring services, reconstructing fallen buildings as soon as possible and so on.
Restoring services
The importance of restoring services to communities quickly after a disaster cannot be discounted. But this approach fails to think about how we could, and should, be planning and rebuilding for the long term, and include better preventative measures. It also misses an opportunity to ensure that infrastructure is appropriate and accessible to all its potential users, with their range of needs considered. The message is clear: we must focus on solutions.
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If we hope to address the world’s burgeoning infrastructure needs, then we must adopt a proactive, rather than reactive, approach. This is easier said than done. Estimates suggest more than $90 trillion in infrastructure investment is needed by 2040, yet limited public budgets create a multitrillion-dollar shortfall. As it currently stands, it is quite clear the way we finance infrastructure is not adequate. The infrastructure needs will require financing from the private sector. Quite simply, sustainable development depends on the private sector offering job opportunities.
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Last year, our research with the University of Oxford found further evidence that 92 per cent of the sustainable development goals targets can only be achieved with high-quality infrastructure. We urgently need infrastructure that is sustainable socially, economically and environmentally, and resilient to the impacts of climate change. And that means that we must help develop and apply quality standards that address the long-term needs of people and communities as part of national development visions.
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