Many of the largest sources of carbon emissions are currently associated with the construction, operation, maintenance and use of infrastructure in particular in the energy, transport, water and waste sectors. Our inquiry suggests that many of the technologies and practices we need to create significant change in these sectors already exist, but their delivery is constrained by unfavourable investment and delivery conditions.

With extremely challenging and tightening CO2 reduction targets and lengthy lead times for new and upgraded infrastructure, there is a strong justification for concerted action by government and industry. Clear statements of strategic direction, backed by a supportive policy and regulatory framework and a means of identifying and addressing failures at an early stage, are required to make progress towards emission reductions. These will create the conditions for the public and private sectors to deliver low carbon infrastructure.

Of course, the transition to a low carbon economy cannot simply be about governments and engineers. Our inquiry suggests that behaviour change, infrastructure and political action are interrelated. Changing the behaviour of people and organisations will be vital if we are to achieve the shift we need.

There is a widespread, if incomplete, awareness of the impact of carbon emissions on climate change, and many are prepared to alter behaviour to avert it. Well-designed infrastructure has begun to encourage this shift by making lower-carbon lifestyles easier to achieve. However, to reduce emissions on the scale required will take a much greater, systemic change. We need to make low carbon behaviour the norm.

Change on this level will require public support if it is not to be bogged down in legal challenge and protest. Engineers have skills in developing
workable options for solving real world problems as designers, specifiers, developers and project managers. They will need to play a central role in building the public-political consensus needed in the coming decades.

Radical change is needed in the engineering profession as reducing carbon emissions becomes a key challenge for infrastructure designers and managers of multidisciplinary delivery teams.

I thank those who have contributed evidence to the inquiry from which this report is generated. The Institution of Civil Engineers is committed to provide the expertise and independent advice to government and policy makers to create the infrastructure needed for the transition to a low carbon economy.

Paul Jowitt
President,
Institution of Civil Engineers