GEGI: Greiman on Sustainable Megaprojects
The Global Economic Governance Initiative (GEGI) hosted a February 26, 2016 discussion on building sustainable megaprojects at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies.
Boston University Assistant Professor of Administrative Sciences Virginia Greiman led the discussion, entitled “Building Sustainable Megaprojects Around the World,” and gave an inside account of megaprojects she has worked on in both the developed and developing world.
Greiman, an internationally recognized expert on mega-project management and infrastructure development, served as deputy chief legal counsel and risk manager on Boston’s “Big Dig” project.
“I’ve worked on projects in the developed world and the developing world. It doesn’t matter where you are, sustainability is key,” Greiman said. “It’s the first thing we need to think about even before cost and budget. You need to ask how are we going to build a project that’s sustainable and what does sustainability mean?”
Greiman said too often leaders on megaprojects focus on project management and not enough on the societal changes that accompany the project.
“It’s important to focus on what are you giving to the people, not to the government — it’s a different entity,” Greiman said. “What are you giving to the people and when are you giving it to them because that is what makes projects sustainable.”
Kevin Gallagher, Professor of Global Development Policy at the Pardee School, said development banks have a growing role in building sustainable megaprojects as the private sector does not fund entire projects.
“Megaprojects in general, the private sector can’t do them by itself and won’t do them by itself, especially if they are going to be sustainable and incorporating climate change because by definition you’re dealing with lots of private goods and lots of externalities that the private sector is not going to be investing in,” Gallagher said.