ECG Paper #1
Well-designed infrastructure can have positive impacts on the environment, which also is crucial for development. However, infrastructural investments often lead to environmental degradation. The ECG recognizes the importance of this linkage or "infrastructure-environment nexus". It represents a large and growing challenge for the countries and the international financial institutions in their development goals.
Meeting the Millennium Development Goals depends on the provision of adequate infrastructure, such as providing clean water and sanitation, as well as on reducing adverse environmental impacts, such as reducing the impacts of air pollution on health and agricultural production (e.g., acid rain).