The Blue Dot Network is a multilateral effort launched by the United States, Japan, and Australia to promote principles of sustainable infrastructure development around the world. The network aims to certify infrastructure projects that meet robust international quality standards and serve as a globally recognized symbol of market-driven, transparent, Paris Agreement-aligned, and financially, socially, and environmentally sustainable infrastructure projects. The goal of the Blue Dot Network is to attract private capital to infrastructure projects in developing and emerging economies.

 

One of the main reasons why we need the Blue Dot Network is the $15 trillion shortfall in global infrastructure financing by 2040 predicted by the Global Infrastructure Hub. While public sector funding will continue to be important for infrastructure development, the mobilization of greater private sector investment will be critical to achieve global infrastructure investment goals effectively and efficiently. The Blue Dot Network helps close this sizable infrastructure gap by helping attract investment from the private sector, while also improving national policies, benefitting local communities, and promoting transparent, climate-smart, sustainable, and responsible investment.

 

The Blue Dot Network operates by using robust infrastructure principles, standards, and best practices as its foundation. The network will audit and certify quality infrastructure projects that adhere to or go beyond these standards. The United States, Australia, and Japan are working with the OECD to develop a methodology and metrics for certification of infrastructure projects based on these principles.

 

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) have joined the United States in launching the Blue Dot Network concept. The network is a multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together governments, the private sector, and civil society to encourage adoption of trusted standards for quality, global infrastructure development in an open and inclusive framework. It does not exclude any country from supporting the Blue Dot Network’s mission of promoting quality, market-driven, and private-sector led investment.

 

The benefits of the Blue Dot Network for developing countries are many. Countries that implement Blue Dot Network-certified projects can attract greater investment by building investor confidence in the quality of the project. Certified projects will embody transparency and openness, mitigating certain financing risks. Blue Dot Network certification will also reassure local communities that infrastructure projects comply with environmental and social safeguards and are aligned with climate goals.

 

Blue Dot Network partner countries can work with any projects that meet their needs and national interests. Partner countries have committed to upholding quality infrastructure standards and may prefer Blue Dot Network certified projects, but at times those projects may not meet the needs of the country.

 

Finally, the Blue Dot Network will play a critical role in addressing the climate crisis and advancing the Paris Agreement. By taking a longer-term investment perspective and incorporating costs and benefits accrued over the entire infrastructure lifecycle, the Blue Dot Network will help host countries and investors realize the financial, economic, environmental, and social benefits of climate-smart infrastructure compared to alternatives that may appear cheaper in terms of up-front cost.

 

Based on inputs from the U.S Department of State portal