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A new methodology to evaluate the sustainability of infrastructure projects

A new methodology to evaluate the sustainability of infrastructure projects

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Embracing sustainable infrastructure that is green, circular, inclusive, resilient and fiscally sustainable, is necessary to stay on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The UNECE People-first PPP Evaluation Methodology for the SDGs can support Governments in this direction by providing a set of criteria and indicators to evaluate infrastructure projects against the five People-first outcomes and the SDGs. This Evaluation Methodology can also help improve infrastructure projects by incorporating resilience and sustainability at their core, especially at the early stages of project development. This tool was developed by an international multidisciplinary team of experts between 2020 and 2021 and has been tested on actual projects in more than 20 countries so it is ready to be implemented and used. It also includes a practical and easy-to-use self-assessment tool, that can be accessed and used by all.

Furthermore, it is crucial to transition towards a new generation of infrastructure projects to mitigate climate change by promoting a circular economy and the sustainable use of natural resources. In this regard, the UNECE People-first approach to PPPs for the SDGs can help Governments improving the design, development, and implementation of infrastructure projects that contribute to the circular economy and the SDGs by, inter alia, reducing the intensity of material use, recycling used and waste material, using renewable material, and producing or using renewable energy.

The People-first PPP Evaluation Methodology for the SDGs was endorsed by UNECE member States at the fifth session of the Working Party on Public-Private Partnerships, held in Geneva on 29-30 November 2021, and it will be rolled out in countries in 2022. At the meeting, in response to the outcomes of the 69th Commission session, UNECE member States also agreed to advance the work on the UNECE Guidelines on Promoting People-first PPPs Waste-to-Energy Projects for the Circular Economy to further explore the potential contribution of Waste-to-Energy projects to the circular economy for residual, non-recyclable materials, and to prepare a guide to better design, develop and implement People-first PPP projects to contribute to the circular economy agenda. Member States also took note of the progress on the People-first PPP/Concession Model Law and agreed on a process to finalise and publish it in May 2022.

For further information, please visit: https://unece.org/ppp