In recent years, sustainability has generated a significant boom, positioning itself strongly in the sector, mainly in the development of infrastructure, generating challenges in the generation of sustainable projects that manage to maintain a balance between rapid urban growth and the environmental urgency that we inhabit.
Developed countries such as Sweden, Switzerland or Denmark have achieved the integration of efficient technologies, such as water recirculation, rainwater harvesting, solar panels and sustainable energy systems, and have created spaces where both concepts come together harmoniously. Denmark, for example, is a leader in sustainability thanks to its focus on renewable energy, offshore wind farms, and sustainable mobility, which is also a driver for social improvement.
However, the real challenge lies in replicating these models in emerging countries, where economic, governmental and institutional limitations hinder the implementation of sustainable projects. In my experience in the structuring of infrastructure projects in Colombia, I have observed how the financial component is usually the decisive factor in the selection of alternatives, relegating environmental and social aspects to a second plane because of the limited economic resources available.
The lack of resources earmarked for sustainability and the difficulties in harmonizing the interests of various stakeholders mean that, in practice, technically feasible and lower cost projects are chosen instead of those that minimize their socio-environmental impact. As a result, a development model is perpetuated that does not consider long-term needs, much less the climatic urgency we are experiencing.
