Men and women experience infrastructure impacts differently, yet most projects ignore gender dynamics. In conservative regions, this oversight can doom even well-intentioned development initiatives. Read the original article
Roads don't just fragment forests—they create 5-kilometer zones of degradation that current planning ignores. Every highway decision today locks in decades of forest decline across areas 10 times larger than expected. Read the original article
The question isn't whether AI will replace human scientists, but how we preserve and cultivate the uniquely human contributions to knowledge creation. Read the original article
Machine learning reveals that green innovation hinges less on technology itself, and more on the strength of supporting institutions. A crucial reminder that infrastructure's future depends on more than just engineering. Read the original article
Sustainable innovation hinges on more than just technology; it demands a 'triple helix' of trust between academia, industry, and government, actively shaped by governance and openness. Read the original article
As AI increasingly manages critical infrastructure, its underlying values become society's values. What happens when algorithms prioritize efficiency over environmental sustainability? Read the original article
As the metaverse evolves, neglecting its infrastructural needs (data centers, bandwidth, security) risks creating a digital divide, mirroring disparities in the physical world. How do we ensure equitable access to virtual spaces and resources? Read the original article
New Right thinking from the early 1980s shaped infrastructure in ways that have led to a potpourri of models. Private sector involvement in infrastructure the world over today has been heavily influenced by the post-privatisation era in Britain from the 1980s. Previous posts have talked about what infrastructure is and
Post World War 2 saw a marked change in infrastructure provision in Britain. State led infrastructure became the standard across the Commonwealth until neo-liberalism took hold in the Reagan-Thatcher era. Dergulation, corporatisation and privatisation became central themes in the latter part of the century, with the private sector playing an
The Roman Empire is often seen as having made a pivotal contribution to society. This blog explores infrastructure from Roman times through to the beginning of the 20th century. This might help shed light on why some things are the way they are today. The Romans are widely attributed to
We all think we know what infrastructure until we are asked for a concise definition. This blog aims to shed some light on one way of defining infrastructure. "You and I come by road or rail, but economists travel by infrastructure". So said Margaret Thatcher, and we hear
Civilisational futures, through an infrastructure lens
Private space companies are lobbying for 'critical infrastructure' designation, signaling a shift in how we perceive and govern off-world assets. This could blur lines between public good and private profit in space. Read the original article
The idea of satellites as network nodes in a space-based data center challenges the fundamental assumption that data processing must be tied to Earth, potentially revolutionizing latency and data sovereignty. Read the original article
The exponential growth of space debris poses an existential threat to critical infrastructure in orbit, demanding a shift from reactive mitigation to proactive, AI-driven protection. Read the original article
Private space firms are lobbying for 'critical infrastructure' status, blurring the lines between public and private control of essential services. This raises questions about accountability and long-term societal benefit. Read the original article
India's private space industry seeks 'critical infrastructure' status, mirroring terrestrial needs. But what happens when infrastructure spans Earth and orbit, blurring traditional governance models? Read the original article
India's private space sector wants space assets classified as 'critical infrastructure,' unlocking funding and boosting domestic procurement. This challenges the traditional definition of infrastructure and its funding models. Read the original article
Millions of Americans rely on water utilities facing significant, yet undisclosed, climate risks. Are bond investors inadvertently funding a future crisis by ignoring these long-term vulnerabilities? Read the original article
While much attention is given to rising sea levels, the encroaching desert poses a significant threat to the habitability of the Nile riverbank, demanding a re-evaluation of infrastructure resilience strategies. Read the original article
Rocket Lab's transformation from small rocket launcher to end-to-end space systems provider challenges the traditional view of 'aerospace' as separate from 'infrastructure.' Is space becoming just another layer of our built environment? Read the original article
The promise of smart technologies in rapidly urbanizing cities hinges on adaptive urban service frameworks. But will these frameworks exacerbate existing inequalities or create truly sustainable communities? Read the original article
China's experience in arid and semi-arid regions reveals the challenges of balancing economic development with ecological sustainability. Can infrastructure investments truly regenerate ecosystems for future generations? Read the original article
The Indian Space Association's budget wish highlights a growing dependence: "Recognise space sector as critical infrastructure." What happens to terrestrial systems if space-based assets fail? Read the original article