- EU officials agree new draft climate deal
- Chair of the UK Infrastructure Bank announced
- NIC publishes process for second national infrastructure assessment
In this fortnightly blog, ICE's Director of Policy Chris Richards looks at developing policy landscape for infrastructure, what decisions mean, and their implications, so that infrastructure professionals can play their part in shaping the discussion.
European Union officials reach provisional agreement on an EU climate law
A new law could enshrine the EU’s plans for climate neutrality by 2050.
A provisional agreement, reached by officials, could increase the EU’s emissions reduction target from a 40% net reduction to a 55% net reduction by 2030, baselined against 1990.
Also included in the agreement is a proposal to create a new European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change. The board would advise on reporting, targets, and budgets, similar to the UK’s Committee on Climate Change. A range of additional laws is planned for later this year to build on the draft agreement.
Several measures put forward by the European Parliament failed to make it into the draft law, including a more ambitious target of 60% and a requirement for each EU country to apply the target in their own countries, rather than keeping it purely at the EU level.
UK Government appoints new Chair of the UK Infrastructure Bank
The appointment of Chris Grigg as the new Chair of the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) helps move the Bank one step closer to reality. The creation of a UKIB has been a long-held recommendation of the ICE, and discussion will now turn to the Bank's scope and how it should exercise its powers.
The creation of a UK Infrastructure Bank comes at the same time as similar institutions are being created around the world, including in India, as a way to provide finance for the rapid development and transformation of the infrastructure system.
Roadmap outlined for the UK’s second national infrastructure assessment
The UK’s National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has outlined a roadmap for the publication of the second national infrastructure assessment (NIA2) in the second half of 2023.
The programme will start with a baseline assessment of the current state of key infrastructure sectors. This will be published for consultation in autumn 2021, alongside the NIC’s proposals for the strategic themes and main priorities it will explore as part of NIA2.
The NIC has established three expert panels on net-zero, levelling-up and climate resilience to support this work, with representation from a broad spectrum, including several ICE Fellows. I have been invited to sit on the ‘levelling-up’ panel The panels will offer expert advice, contribute new ideas and challenge the NIC’s thinking.
In case you missed it...
- Global leaders announce ambitions to speed up carbon emission cuts – what does this mean for UK infrastructure? Our analysis.
- Ahead of the 2021 local elections, ICE South West hosted a debate for West of England mayoral candidates. This blog summarises the key issues from the debate.
- Aneeka Barmi, Sub-Agent at Skanska and 2020 James Rennie Medal Finalist, reflects on the impact of policy on the day-to-day role of civil engineers.
- Transport decarbonisation was the topic of the latest Presidential Roundtable with ICE President Rachel Skinner and Transport Minister Rachel Maclean MP – read a summary of the discussion.
Check back in a fortnight for the next edition of the ICE's Infrastructure Policy Watch. You can also sign up to ICE Informs to get a monthly digest of the latest policy activities from ICE, including calls for evidence to support our ongoing advice to policymakers.
