According to the World Economic Forum, the global infrastructure financing gap will exceed $15,000 billion by 20401. This amount reflects the combined effect of several factors, including underlying trends such as digitalisation, urbanisation, the energy transition and the fight against climate change, as well as chronic under-investment by governments in critical infrastructure.
The development of infrastructure on a global scale requires colossal capital investment, both to modernise existing infrastructure and to build new infrastructure.
In the United States alone, the investment needed to modernise existing infrastructure is estimated at $6,000 billion1. The delay in this nonetheless essential effort is reflected today in an infrastructure market that is among the most dynamic in the world, supported by massive public investment, but also by a marked desire to relocate production chains and maintain a leading position in many strategic sectors.
Faced with this major challenge, the private sector clearly has an essential role to play in the transition.