Infrastructure policy: Transport and energy

Abstract

Infrastructure is the physical and technical structures and facilities, such as transport networks and power supplies, that are necessary for the operation of a society and economy to enable connectivity, communication, and exchange. Infrastructure policy refers to the provision, maintenance, and regulation of these services and facilities. The construction and maintenance of infrastructure is often protracted, complicated, and expensive and defines the landscape for decades. This underlines the high importance and immediacy of infrastructure policy. The chapter covers two core sectors of infrastructure policy in Switzerland: transportation and energy. The two respective sections cover the main challenges in the two policy sectors and the development of the respective legislation over time before presenting the main actors relevant for design and implementation of the policies. The final section provides an overall discussion and draws conclusions about the perspectives of future infrastructure policy in urbanizing Switzerland in an international context.