Explainer Series
Indo-Pacific Explainer:
Critical Infrastructure
From power grids and water systems to transportation networks and digital communications, critical infrastructure forms the backbone of our society and economy. This explainer explores what makes infrastructure “critical” and why safeguarding it has become a top priority for governments, businesses, and communities.
What is critical infrastructure?
↗ Critical infrastructure refers to systems, facilities, and assets that are essential to the functioning of society and the economy. What makes infrastructure “critical” is its essential role in maintaining public safety, security, health, or economic stability—its failure would have serious consequences in one or more of these areas.
Critical infrastructure may be physical, such as power stations or transport systems. It can also be virtual, including national banking and communication networks (Box 1). In many cases, these systems combine both physical and virtual components. Data centres, for example, consist of physical buildings and the servers and software they support.
