Introduction to the toolkit

Infrastructure is the foundation of society. It provides essential services such as health, education and shelter. It supports business and private sector development in sectors like agriculture, trade and industry, driving economic benefits, social development and climate resilience. Reliable transport, energy, water and digital networks reduce the costs of delivered goods and services and facilitate the mobility of people and products, enhancing productivity and stimulating economic growth for the benefit of the poor. However, current infrastructure investment is failing to keep pace with society’s demands.

Infrastructure gaps in lower-income countries hinder development, with an estimated financing shortfall of up to $108 billion per year in Africa alone. As countries progress from low-income status, their infrastructure stock generally increases. Their expanding networks and service coverage requires better performance from the infrastructure that they have. This pushes countries to focus on transition, especially, but not solely, in the energy sector.

Infrastructure also plays a crucial role in tackling climate change. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts, requiring resilient and sustainable infrastructure. Yet, the resources needed for investment remain insufficient. Achieving global development and net-zero goals will require a four-fold increase in infrastructure spending by 2030.

Infrastructure development also carries a range of associated risks — environmental (such as pollution, land degradation, and transport networks disrupting animal migration patterns); financial risks, including corruption; safety risks related to construction, road travel, and structural collapse; health risks arising from urban heat and air pollution; and social risks stemming from community disruption. Moreover, while infrastructure plays a vital role in both climate change adaptation and mitigation, poorly planned or implemented infrastructure can worsen existing problems.

A 2019 paper Nature Sustainability: Infrastructure for sustainable development provides an excellent introduction to move beyond personal awareness to foundation level – it describes the contribution of infrastructure to society and, in some detail, to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is recommended reading and should help to find capability level and interest.

This toolkit aims to build knowledge and capability across FCDO staff and external partners, ensuring they are equipped to address current and future infrastructure challenges. The toolkit is based on the ‘infrastructure curriculum’ developed under the ICED programme (Infrastructure & Cities for Economic Development) in 2018-19. It has been updated, to ensure relevance to priority issues, topical coverage and content, and will continue to be updated through use and review.

The toolkit looks to support the professional development of professional development of members of the Nature, Infrastructure, Climate and Energy (CEIE) cadre, as well as the wider GCIEP community. It is aimed at practitioner-level staff within the FCDO and includes sufficient introductory material for those building their foundational knowledge of the topics covered. It complements the CEIE Technical Competency Framework (TCF), offering an interactive and self-led learning approach to building expertise.

For those at a more advanced or expert level, the toolkit serves as a valuable reference point for the latest evidence, data, and approaches, particularly when taking on new roles or responsibilities. Expert users are also encouraged to contribute suggestions for further improving the toolkit.

Practitioners should be familiar with the key characteristics of infrastructure and how these can be harnessed as a force for good. Key questions a practitioner should ask are: What is the infrastructure development primarily aiming to achieve? Who is it for? When will it be delivered? How will it be implemented, maintained, and operated? Quality infrastructure should meet a number of essential criteria, such as inclusiveness, sustainability, climate resilience, affordability, good governance, and ease of maintenance. It must be developed with strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) safeguards and should ultimately serve a clear and useful purpose. Given this wide range of considerations, the field of infrastructure naturally draws on a diversity of disciplines, expertise, and professional interests — topics that this toolkit aims to cover and draw links on.

Why use the Toolkit?

You might need to use this resource for a variety of reasons such as:

• Developing your own or a colleague’s career, or helping your team achieve its objectives
• Briefing senior managers in FCDO or, in-country, your Ambassador or High Commissioner
• Supporting our partners or preparing to engage with partner government stakeholders and partners
• Drafting a Business Case or preparing Terms of Reference for a study or for tasks for others to undertake
• Carrying out an annual or completion review, evaluation of a programme or supporting monitoring evaluation and learning
• Overseeing or supervising the work of suppliers or researchers
• Challenging the status quo

The toolkit is structured around five themes, selected in consultation with the UK Government Centres of Expertise. This followed a review of the 2019 ICED curriculum, consideration of emerging issues within GCIEP implementation, the evolving landscape of international development, and current priorities of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

It is designed to complement resources provided through the FCDO International Academy’s Energy, Climate & Environment Faculty. Each of the five themes is divided into four modules, one at the foundational level and three at the practitioner level. Each module addresses a range of topics and draws on key resources, technical literature, and training materials, supported by relevant case studies to provide practical insights.

• Economic development and growth, cities and regions – why society needs infrastructure
• Planning, financing and project development – how infrastructure is implemented
• Environment, social and governance – priority safeguarding issues
• Climate, nature and low-carbon – an infrastructure perspective on the global priority
• Country typology and contexts: humanitarian, fragility, conflict and security – where, when and with whom to work