Infrastructure choices made today will shape emissions, resilience, competitiveness and well-being for decades. This is especially true in the dynamic, emerging economies of Central and Southeast Asia, where fast-growing economies face major needs for new and upgraded infrastructure while seeking to meet climate and sustainable development objectives. The challenge is not only to mobilise more investment, but to ensure that investment supports low-emission, climate-resilient and inclusive growth.
The report brings together findings from the implementation of the Sustainable Infrastructure Programme in Asia (SIPA). Supported by Germany’s International Climate Initiative and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, SIPA ran from October 2021 to June 2026 and worked with Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand and Uzbekistan, while promoting peer learning across Central and Southeast Asia.
SIPA was implemented by an OECD-led consortium combining expertise across the main dimensions of sustainable infrastructure. The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations supported work on long-term low-emission development pathways; the International Institute for Sustainable Development contributed analysis on integrated cost-benefit assessment and fossil fuel subsidy reform; the International Transport Forum provided transport analysis; the United Nations Development Programme supported work on capacity building and secotral-related solutions; the University of Central Asia supported regional knowledge exchange; and the World Wildlife Fund contributed expertise on nature-based solutions and ecosystem-service mapping. SIPA also drew on regional and technical partners, including the Asian Institute of Technology and the Institute of Finance and Sustainability.
This report contributes to the OECD’s work on effective environmental policies and sustainable infrastructure. The OECD Environment Directorate supports Members and Partners on climate change, biodiversity, water, finance and investment for environmental goals, energy, resource productivity, waste, the circular economy and green growth. Infrastructure sits at the intersection of these priorities: it determines energy use, land-use patterns, exposure to climate risks, ecosystem impacts and access to essential services. The publication also builds on the OECD’s work on infrastructure governance, investment and finance, including the OECD Recommendation on the Governance of Infrastructure, which promotes a whole-of-government approach across the infrastructure life cycle, from planning and prioritisation to budgeting, delivery, operation and monitoring.
This publication is intended to support policy makers, practitioners, development partners and investors working to accelerate that transition. Its findings and recommendations offer practical guidance for strengthening the enabling conditions for sustainable infrastructure across Central and Southeast Asia and provide lessons for other regions facing similar infrastructure, climate and financing challenges.