What makes infrastructure truly resilient? Is it enough to build projects that work today, or do we also need to ask whether they will continue serving communities as climate risks grow and needs change? 

These questions are at the heart of CoST Costa Rica’s latest Independent Review, which looks beyond whether infrastructure projects are delivered successfully to examine how transparency can support better decisions from the outset. 

The review assessed 30 infrastructure projects across the country, including a closer look at 10 projects and a sustainability-focused assessment of five. The findings highlight encouraging progress in making infrastructure information available, while also pointing to the importance of maintaining transparency throughout the infrastructure lifecycle. 

But perhaps the most important message is that resilience begins long before construction. 

The review explores how infrastructure decisions are made and whether projects are responding to long-term needs and risks. This includes considering environmental and climate pressures that could affect infrastructure performance in the years ahead. 

Water infrastructure offers a particularly important illustration. As communities face growing pressure on water resources and essential services, projects must be planned with an understanding of changing environmental conditions and future demand. Infrastructure that is technically sound today may not remain resilient if the risks surrounding it are not considered from the beginning. 

This is where transparency becomes more than a question of data publication. By making information about infrastructure decisions accessible, transparency can help governments, communities, and other stakeholders understand why projects are prioritised, what risks have been considered, and whether investments are equipped to meet future challenges.