As countries navigate an increasingly complex global landscape, the need for strategic infrastructure investment has never been greater. From maintaining essential services to addressing climate change and shifting demographics, governments must balance immediate priorities with long-term sustainability.
This will require investment in new, sustainable infrastructure at an unprecedented pace and scale. Additionally, it will also demand that countries implement regulatory, financial, commercial and labour settings that enable the faster delivery of sustainable infrastructure, while still upholding health, safety, environmental and integrity standards. Countries will also need to persuade citizens of the need to accommodate new low-emissions and resilient infrastructure. This relies on citizens having trust in governments, which has diminished in recent times, and also depends on governments being able to rebalance any inequitable impacts on different sectors of society. Finally, countries will also need to supplement investment in new infrastructure by making better use of existing assets and networks.
This year’s Conference supports the OECD Infrastructure Forum, which takes place every two years. The 2025 Conference on Infrastructure Governance, hosted by the OECD’s Public Governance Directorate, focuses on special topics related to infrastructure governance. By focusing on these issues mentioned above, this year’s Conference will set out a roadmap for how countries can improve the policy, regulatory and commercial environment to deliver sustainable, high-quality infrastructure through to 2050.
