In late 2020, the UN Environment Management Group (EMG) officials gathered and agreed to establish the “Consultative Process on Sustainable Infrastructure” to enhance the coordination of the UN-system support to member states for sustainable infrastructure development. On 17 March 2021, the UN EMG hosted its first meeting of the Consultative Process on Sustainable Infrastructure with the participation of a wide range of UN agencies and partner institutions. The meeting agenda and relevant information are also accessible on the Green Growth Knowledge Platform.

During the meeting, the ILO, represented by Ms. Mito Tsukamoto, Chief of Development and Investment Branch (DEVINVEST), highlighted the important role employment plays in sustainable infrastructure development, especially in the context of national recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

In her intervention, Ms. Tsukamoto underscored that the ILO has supported its constituents over the last half century through the Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP), linking infrastructure development with employment creation at the local level. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, in particular, she demonstrated that the EIIP has adjusted its approaches through:

1. developing and disseminating policy and technical guidance to promote the inclusion of investments in sustainable infrastructure in the national stimulus package;
2. implementing emergency employment schemes in several countries to provide immediate income securities for affected communities;
3. adjusting labour practices and promoting safety and health measures for infrastructure works to be able to continue during the pandemic;
4. supporting the adjustment of nationally funded public employment programmes (PEPs) through technical assistance;
5. shedding more light on WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) infrastructure in the context of the sanitary crisis;
6. promoting green infrastructure and global standards on nature-based solutions (NbS) as a way to promote green recovery; and
7. supporting the reintegration of returning migrants.

Emphasizing the role that the World of Work with its human-centred approaches can play to achieve many SDGs, she concluded her remarks by stating that “sustainable infrastructure should be based on strategies that align employment, environmental and social objectives to foster synergies between the need for infrastructure, job security, and climate action.”

The discussions at the meeting are expected to lead to the review of the International Good Practice Principles for Sustainable Infrastructure and the compilation of sustainable infrastructure tools on the UN EMG's platform.

Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership was launched by UNEP in 2018. The Partnership offers a platform to promote and support integrated approaches to sustainable infrastructure planning and development. The ILO contributes to the Partnership from the employment perspectives.