Infrastructure is complex, long-term by nature, and involves numerous risks and stakeholders. Boosting quality infrastructure to meet economic, environmental, social and development objectives will require integrated investment strategies and a whole-of-government policy approach.

The OECD engages in infrastructure policy work through sectors (telecommunications, transportation, energy, water) and policy areas (sustainable infrastructure, infrastructure financing including at the sub-national level, infrastructure governance and development), which take into account environmental goals (biodiversity conservation, climate mitigation, resilience to natural disasters). By bringing countries together, the OECD also serves as a platform for dialogue and a point of reference for international, regional, national, and local infrastructure policy initiatives

In May 2024, OECD Ministers welcomed a High-Level Approach to Enhance and Better Integrate OECD Work on Infrastructure. This includes the development of a cross-cutting Policy Framework on Infrastructure Development; country-specific Infrastructure Policy Reviews; and specific policy toolkits. 

The need for more data which is granular, as well as greater information disclosure related to investment planning into infrastructure development, is a key area that would provide greater certainty to investors as well as provide planning for the private sector involved. The lack of data that supports infrastructure investment has been a key policy issue, in particular in emerging and developing economies. 

The OECD has also supported discussions on improving infrastructure data collection in the G20, including through the G20 Infrastructure Data Initiative, and by developing its own infrastructure datasets. 

The OECD is engaged in number of data collection efforts related to infrastructure investment, and will now engage in the providing a definition to infrastructure as well as piloting a national account-based data collection of infrastructure stock from 2025.