POLICY BRIEFS

Global Solutions Journal G20/T20 Italy 2021 Edition

The Global Solutions Journal G20/T20 Italy 2021 Edition focuses on Italy’s G20 priorities, overcoming the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Digital Governance and New Measurement. 

Authors from various sectors – politics, research, academia, business, and civil society – have contributed to this multifaceted edition. 

The Solutions Lab | Results Booklet

We are excited to announce the publication of the Results Booklet of the Solutions Lab on Scaling for Sustainable Infrastructure, which the Global Solutions Initiative (GSI) and Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have jointly launched. The focus of the Lab has been to analyze what hinders the broad uptake of sustainable infrastructure solutions and to identify approaches that can be scaled across regions.

Sustainable infrastructure is globally recognized as key to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Over the last years, more and more strategies, policies and tools have been developed to unleash this potential for sustainable development. Yet, public and private sector still struggle to put in place infrastructures that meet the four principles of sustainability: economic and financial, environmental, social and institutional. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic again underlined the weaknesses of existing infrastructure systems: a lack of basic health and sanitation facilities, inadequate transportation and energy networks and insufficient digital infrastructure still affect the well-being of billions of people.

The Lab participants have established several workstreams through which it channels its efforts to scale solutions, including (1) on Integrated Upstream Planning, (2) on Sustainable Infrastructure Project Preparation and (3) on Gender-Responsive Infrastructure.

Explore our Results Booklet to learn more about the process of The Solutions Lab, its methodology, participants, meetings and results.

S20 Saudi Arabia Communique

S20 Saudi Arabia 2020: Read the Communique here.

Asian Development Bank Institute’s book “Building the Future of Quality Infrastructure”

Infrastructure is crucial for fostering countries’ economic development and prosperity.

Infrastructure contributes to higher productivity and growth, facilitates trade and connectivity, and promotes economic inclusion. Infrastructure is also a key driver for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The development of electricity distribution networks through infrastructure development improves access to energy in urban and rural areas. Transport infrastructure connects people and supports trade by facilitating the movement of goods, contributing to economic growth. Water infrastructure improves health through better access to clean water and more efficient management of scarce resources.

Read the full report with contributions from Global Solutions Fellow Beatriz Nofal here.

G20 Japan: Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment

This document sets out a set of voluntary, non-binding principles that reflects the G20’s common strategic direction and aspiration for quality infrastructure investment.

Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment

G20 Japan: Compendium of Good Practices for Promoting Integrity and Transparency in Infrastructure Development

Integrity and transparency are crucial for countering corruption effectively and the delivery of quality infrastructure. Consequently, this Compendium does not look at the secondary consequences of corruption in infrastructure but focuses on transparency and integrity in the infrastructure cycle.

G20 Compendium of Good Practices for Promoting Integrity and Transparency in Infrastructure Development

Housing Amid Covid-19: Policy Responses and Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted construction, made it difficult for many households to pay for shelter, and seriously hurt the housing sector. Governments have responded with a wide array of measures to protect tenants and mortgage-holders, as well as support builders and lenders. This note mobilises web-search data to shed new light on the impact of the crisis on the construction sector. It then takes stock of measures taken by governments and argues that some of the relief could, if not duly phased out as planned, create unintended inefficiencies and notably make housing supply less responsive to changes in demand and the evolving needs of society. The note concludes by building on recent empirical findings that stress the importance of gradually transitioning from immediate rescue measures to policy settings that can support the recovery and the development of efficient, inclusive and sustainable housing markets.

Read more.

Infrastructure for Growth Post Covid-19

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments all over the world are enacting major stimulus packages to confront the health crisis, one of the biggest challenges since the end of the Second World War. But when the pandemic crisis has been tamed, bigger challenges will be waiting, since the major imperative would be to immediately re-launch the global economy.

To this end, investments in infrastructures can be the right instrument to restart the engine.

Infrastructure for Growth Post COVID-19

By Alberto Belladonna (ISPI) and Alessandro Gili (ISPI)

Elaborating Transportation Policy during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

The number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has reached 172, an increase of 86 times since the first two confirmed cases were announced by President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on 2 March 2020.

As of 14 March 2020, the Indonesian government has declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national disaster and the President set forth several mitigation measures including a recommendation to ‘work, learn, and worship from/at home’ to reduce the potential spread of this highly contagious disease.

The interpretation of that strategy inevitably influences the transportation sector since the adopted measures should reduce people’s mobility.

Elaborating Transportation Policy during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

By Alloysius Joko Purwanto (ERIA)

Are Slums More Vulnerable to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Mumbai

India has been highly susceptible to the spread of pandemics. The 1918 pandemic caused devastation across the country, with an excess mortality of 4.5%. While a century has passed since then, the present conditions of dense living and a weak public healthcare system makes the possibility of the rapid spread of the current COVID-19 pandemic and heavy loss of life very real. Crowded and poorer areas, where it is difficult for people to safeguard themselves against getting infected, are likely to see worse outcomes. The case of New York City, where poorer neighbourhoods saw disproportionately more deaths and cases, attests to this. The situation is going to be similar, if not worse, for cities in developing countries like India.

Are Slums More Vulnerable to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Mumbai

By Shaonlee Patranabis, Sahil Gandhi, and Vaidehi Tande (Brookings)