Developing a Pathway for Universal Infrastructure Coverage

The policy brief proposes a shift from project-based infrastructure to a business-based model to achieve universal infrastructure coverage, particularly in developing countries. It highlights how technological disruptions in energy, transport, and water are reducing capital costs and enabling distributed infrastructure. The authors advocate for listing these infrastructure businesses on local stock exchanges to attract institutional investors and suggest implementing stewardship principles—such as master plans and impact management—to align business operations with community needs and sustainability goals.

• Technological disruption is making 'universal infrastructure coverage' possible by reducing the capital costs required to deliver essential services, shifting the focus from mega-projects to small-scale, distributed investments.
• In the energy sector, the combination of solar and battery technology allows for micro-grids and Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGo) systems, which provide a more feasible and secure alternative to expensive central electricity grids in remote regions.
• Transport infrastructure is being disrupted by on-demand services, e-bikes, and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, which are less capital intensive than large-scale projects.
• Water infrastructure is moving toward distributed supplies, such as household water tanks and local bore water treatment, which allows households to act as both suppliers and consumers.
• Structuring infrastructure as a business listed on local stock exchanges is superior to a project-based approach because it allows for the retention of regional skills, enables business expansion, and aligns with the investment mechanisms of institutional investors who manage approximately USD 70 trillion in assets.
• Co-investing models where governments and institutional investors jointly own an infrastructure business avoid the valuation disputes common in public-private partnerships (PPPs) and allow the business to adapt to technological changes.
• To ensure infrastructure businesses serve the long-term community interest, the document recommends 'stewardship principles,' including the requirement for master plans every 3–5 years and the use of impact management frameworks.

APA

Hunt, P. C., & Noble, G. (2021). Developing a Pathway for Universal Infrastructure Coverage. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/developing-universal-infrastructure-coverage.pdf

Chicago

Hunt, Paul Clements, and Gordon Noble. Developing a Pathway for Universal Infrastructure Coverage. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/developing-universal-infrastructure-coverage.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hunt |first1=Paul Clements |last2=Noble |first2=Gordon |title=Developing a Pathway for Universal Infrastructure Coverage |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=February 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/developing-universal-infrastructure-coverage.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hunt2021developing, author = {Hunt, Paul Clements and Noble, Gordon}, title = {{Developing a Pathway for Universal Infrastructure Coverage}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/developing-universal-infrastructure-coverage.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }