Building Resilient Infrastructure Systems, In: Building the future of quality infrastructure

The need to provide resilient transport infrastructure systems is fundamental to enhancing the economic, social, and environmental viability of our cities. In addition to population growth, rapid urbanization, and aging infrastructure, cities increasingly face complex challenges due to the heightened frequency and intensity of natural hazards and those caused by humans. Addressing vulnerabilities requires that citizens, cities, regions, the business sector, and governments avoid exacerbating threats to infrastructure systems. In order to ensure the availability, quality, safety, and security of transport infrastructure and networks, a long-term development strategy is needed along with the ability to build on adverse events. Transport system owners and operators are compelled to integrate growingly complex challenges within decision-making processes. This includes the impacts of climate change and extreme weather, natural disasters and disasters caused by humans, as well as cyber threats and the structural aging of infrastructure facilities. Highlighting the issues outlined in the policy brief, The Infrastructure Nexus', the following recommendations are suggested: (i) developing systematic resilience strategies for infrastructure and transport systems at the Group of 20 (G20) level, (ii) establishing policies and mechanisms for exchanging knowledge and experiences among the G20 countries, (iii) promoting a socio-political based approach to resilience to facilitate the acceptability of infrastructure projects at local and global scales, and (iv) setting up a common methodology for measuring the success of resilience strategies.