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Fueled by pent-up demand and an appetite for mega-projects, the world’s countries will spend nearly $800 billion on their top infrastructure projects in 2012, according to a new analysis.
CG/LA Infrastructure’s new “Top 100 Global Strategic Infrastructure Projects for 2012” has a total value of $784 billion—nearly double the amount spent on the top 100 projects in 2011, the Washington, DC-based consulting group reports.
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| The Thames Hub network, an integrated infrastructure development, is expected to spend more than $80 billion next year. |
The increase reflects not only pent-up demand and backlogs, but also the rise of shale gas and “a clear recognition that re-starting global growth depends on significant new investment,” according to CG/LA. Thus, the list features numerous top-dollar mega-projects set to begin in the next three to 12 months.
Sector Spending
Leading the list, by far, is $247 billion in “strategic” spending by governments and economic development agencies. The other top nine sectors, by spending levels:
• Surface Transportation ($146 billion);
• Urban Mass Transit ($89.8 billion);
• Digital ($58 billion);
• High Speed Rail ($45.9 billion);
• Ports & Logistics ($43.9 billion);
• Mining ($39 billion);
• Oil and Gas ($28 billion);
• Airports ($28 billion); and
• Water & Wastewater ($22 billion).
Top Projects
The top project expenditures on the list are:
• Thames Hub, UK (Strategic): $80.4 billion • Plan Nord, Quebec (Strategic): $80 billion
• Qatar World Cup 2022 (Strategic): $59.1 billion
• Qatar National Rail Plan: $25 billion
• Abu Dhabi Roads Project, UAE: $25 billion
• Manila LRT Line 1 Expansion, Philippines: $18.5 billion
• National Highways Development Program, India: $17.1 billion
• Airports Modernization Project, Russia: $15 billion
• 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics (Strategic): $14 billion
• United Arab Emirates Railway Project: $11 billion
Middle East, Asia on the Rise
Geographically, the Middle East and Asia will be the dominant players in 2012, according to CG/LA.
Led by the Gulf States, Middle Eastern and North African countries are creating the world’s fastest-growing infrastructure market, with $205 billion in projects on the list.
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| The Lusail Iconic Stadium is one of about a dozen stadiums that will be built to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. |
Other top regions by value include North America ($187 billion); Europe ($150 billion); Asia Pacific ($94 billion); and Southeast Asia ($79 billion).
Projects are selected “based on the vision and leadership of their development and the competitiveness they will endow the country/region they serve,” according to CG/LA.
The company released the list in anticipation of its 5th Annual Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum, to be held Feb. 22-24 in London.
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