Infrastructure projects’ assessment through SDG targets: towards a comprehensive framework

The achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is of paramount importance “for the peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and in the future” (United Nations, 2015; Økland, 2015). Important changes are needed in order to achieve these goals, and infrastructure projects (IP) are critical to facilitate these changes at local and global levels, across health, energy, education, transport, communication and other critical infrastructure needs. However, a gap exists in understanding how SDGs are applied below the global- national levels. In order to increase global and local impact of infrastructure investments, an improved understanding is needed at organisational and infrastructure project levels. In this context, the purpose of this research study is firstly to build on a comprehensive literature review to investigate the existing UN SDG targets in relation to IP, and secondly, to lay a foundation for a comprehensive framework to structure research systematically in this field. This approach can help further our understanding of the topic, thereby providing an important contribution for regulators, policymakers, academia and practitioners on how to align IP to SDGs objectives. This will deliver increased value from infrastructure investments and enable the project management community to generate local impact on global issues, for ‘people and the planet, now and in the future’.