Opening a new chapter in the infrastructure of Latin America

Abstract

Crossroads with nature in Serra do Mar In Latin America, as elsewhere, sustainable infrastructure plays a vital role in improving the quality of life and supporting economic growth. It determines our capacity to engage competitively in global trade and to grow our economies. In our cities, where 80% of the region's population lives, infrastructure helps reduce poverty by enhancing access to basic services and facilitating access to knowledge and employment opportunities. What many people don't know is that sustainable infrastructure also has a lasting impact on climate resilience. Every year, natural disasters generate US$2 billion in costs in Latin America, not counting the incalculable loss of human life: in Colombia, my own country, the April 2017 rain-driven mudslides took the lives of more than 250 people. Good infrastructure is now more critical than ever to ensure that our homes become safer and more resilient to environmental shocks.