UNEP Regional Consultations on Sustainable Infrastructure: Information Portal

In July and August 2020, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is leading a series of Member State consultations on sustainable infrastructure.

This site provides information about the consultation process and the required documents for review.

Background 

Infrastructure is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It either directly or indirectly influences the attainment 92% of the 169 individual SDG targets, across every SDG. Infrastructure systems are drivers of economic growth and enable access to basic services and economic opportunities that improve livelihoods and well-being. Yet the choices that we make about the types of infrastructure we choose to build and where we choose to build it also have direct and indirect negative impacts on the environment and societies.

In March 2019, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) passed a resolution on sustainable infrastructure (UNEP/EA.4/L.5) that recognizes infrastructure’s centrality to the 2030 Agenda. It encourages Member States to develop and strengthen national and regional systems-level strategic approaches to infrastructure planning, promotes nature-based solutions and encourages the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to support countries in building the technical and institutional capacity to develop sustainable infrastructure.

The "Good Practice Guidance Framework" and Case Studies

As part of the implementation of the UNEA resolution, UNEP has led the development of an internationally applicable Good Practice Guidance Framework on integrated approaches to sustainable infrastructure. This framework presents ten guiding principles that are intended to help governments and other decision makers incorporate sustainability into all phases of infrastructure planning and development through upstream, systems-level interventions.  

To complement the Good Practice Guidance Framework UNEP is also developing a collection of sustainable infrastructure case studies that illustrate each of the ten principles.

Member State Consultations

The purpose of the Member State consultations is to collect feedback on the Good Practice Guidance Framework and learn about countries experiences’ implementing the UNEA resolution on sustainable infrastructure. The consultations will follow a two-part process: 

1. Online Review: Please review the draft guidelines document (see below for other language options) and complete the online questionnaire. Please select your preferred language from the drop-down menu at the top right of the questionnaire. 

2. Virtual Workshops: Representatives from Member States will participate is a series of sub-regional consultation meetings to be held online. Details about the virtual workshops will be sent to ministry focal points via email. The tentative schedule is as follows: 

Documents for Review