WASHINGTON, D.C. — CG/LA Infrastructure LLC released the Top 100 Global Strategic Infrastructure Projects, with a total estimated value of nearly $550 billion. The Top 100 List was released prior to the 3rd Annual Global Forum in New York City, Dec. 9-11, 2009.

According to Norman F. Anderson, president and CEO of CG/LA Infrastructure LLC, “The aim of the Global Forum is to fix a spotlight on the most important infrastructure projects in the world — and to give the men and women who lead those projects an opportunity to build long-term assets critical to their country’s future, at world-class levels of quality and velocity."

The Leadership Forum focuses on infrastructure Hotspots, particularly including $170 billion in projects from the BRIC countries – Brazil ($34.8 billion); Russia ($21.7 billion); India ($34.5 billion); and China ($72.8 billion). In terms of regional representation: North America (primarily the United States) makes up $89.2 billion; the Middle East totals $100.9 billion; Asia (excluding China and India) is $76.9 billion; Latin America (excluding Brazil) makes up $29.5 billion; and Africa adds an additional $32.2 billion.

“These projects are critical to economic recovery,” according to Anderson, “and every single project offers a business opportunity in the next three to 12 months.”

The Global Forum groups projects into 10 distinct infrastructure sectors:

1. Water / Wastewater ($15.5 billion)
2. Airports ($31.7 billion)
3. Surface Transportation ($83.2 billion)
4. Ports & Logistics ($23.1 billion)
5. New Infrastructure/Renewable Generation ($54 billion);
6. Urban Mass Transit ($68.2 billion)
7. Oil & Gas ($22 billion)
8. Electricity Generation and Transmission ($16.8 billion);
9. High Speed Rail ($138.2 billion).
10. Strategic Projects ($87.5 billion).

While last year’s leading sectors resulted from the five-year economic expansion — powered by Ports & Logistics and Energy Generation — this year’s projects tend to focus on jobs, mobility, people, and innovation, with a vast increase in the value of Water/Wastewater projects, the emergence of a true New Infrastructure/Renewable Generation sector, and technology-driven High-Speed Rail and Urban Mass Transit projects.

Sponsors of the 3rd Annual Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum include CAF (Andean Development Corporation), Citi, ESRI, Madrid Network, Sterne Agee, Sunlight Media (Vietnam), and TAQA (the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company).