Built to last: the infrastructure planning toolkit that outlives politics

When it comes to infrastructure, getting people on the same page is hardly ever easy.

We know that we need more renewable energy to transition to a secure and net zero energy supply.

But in the UK, you don’t have to travel far to see signs protesting the infrastructure needed for new solar or wind power. Similar opposition has been observed in Spain, Italy and Poland.

Meanwhile, within the government, siloed ways of working mean that stop-start approaches to infrastructure have become the norm.

One party, for example, might push forward net zero initiatives, only for another to scrap them when power changes hands.

It’s easy and understandable for governments to get caught up in short-term thinking.

The Enabling Better Infrastructure (EBI) programme, and its newly updated guidance, can help them see beyond the day-to-day to deliver the long-term improvements that people need.

The EBI programme

The ICE-led EBI programme has been learning lessons from governments all around the world on how to best plan infrastructure for the long-term.

EBI started with a set of principles for strategic infrastructure planning.

We’ve since created a network of 26 countries, working closely with New Zealand, Peru, Indonesia.

We spoke to them about the challenges they were facing and how they were using the principles in practice.

We use our learnings to regularly update the EBI guidance so that governments can rely on it to understand and meet evolving needs.

Our latest update is the result of the fruitful collaboration with these countries over the last year.

Read the guidance

Below are a few ways the EBI guidance has helped get people on the same page.

1. Help you decide what to build and why

Many governments have national targets such as economic growth or reaching net zero by 2035 or 2050.

Setting goals that apply to the entire country isn’t easy to do. But the EBI guidance can help you identify which ones are going to deliver the most value.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals are a good starting point, as they offer a framework for setting national targets that benefit people and the planet.

There are also many ways to achieve these objectives, but in most cases, resources are limited.

Take coastal resilience, for example. There are hard engineering solutions, such as sea walls, or soft measures, like nature-based solutions (NBS).

The former are expensive, resource-intensive, and usually only justifiable in densely populated areas. The latter aren’t as tried-and-tested and don’t provide the highest protection standards but can yield multiple benefits.

Either way, the EBI programme can help you assess which of these options will work best for you.

It also has guidance on the skills needed to deliver on these targets, as well as the funding and financing options available.

2. Help you identify who to talk to and what about

The EBI guidance can support governments in identifying which stakeholders they need to engage with in order to succeed.

From the private sector to development banks, and community groups to academic institutions, they will each offer unique and valuable insights.

By consulting with them early on, you can prevent bottlenecks further down the line.

It also helps make your infrastructure decisions more equitable.

For example, in New Zealand, government bodies seek advice from Māori communities when planning infrastructure.

The Māori have struggled with unequal access to services such as health and education. It’s important that the government works with them to address their needs in its plans.

Engage the public

The public wants to know what you’re planning to build and why.

Almost 70% of the British public agree that politicians should talk to them about the benefits of major infrastructure instead of costs, according to a 2022 YouGov poll commissioned by the ICE.

Thinking of the outcomes first makes it a lot easier to communicate with the public.

After all, nearly half of the people polled agreed that unforeseen issues are inevitable on major infrastructure projects due to the long time they take to construct.

What they want to know is that the project will make their life better once it’s finally finished.

Part of how you achieve this is by consulting with them in the first place.

In the Netherlands, the public has the chance to share ideas for the government’s strategy during in-person sessions.

One of the ideas was to prioritise infrastructure that’s resilient to higher temperatures, and the national plan was updated accordingly.

3. Help you ensure infrastructure decisions last long enough to be delivered

Within the government, initiatives have another obstacle to contend with: political agendas.

Take net zero, for example. Despite the alarming evidence that climate change is upon us, cutting carbon emissions is slipping down the priorities list.

There’s a mischievous resistance to do something about this.

Political cycles are limited for a reason. So how can we ensure that infrastructure projects, which can take decades to build, outlast the whims of certain governments?

The EBI programme has guidance on how to build consensus across the government, including the opposition.

For example, when Saint Lucia was developing its plans for infrastructure for the next 25 to 50 years, the ruling party made an effort to engage members of the opposition.

This paid off, as the next prime minister – the former opposition leader – was already on board with the initiatives set out in those plans.

But ensuring that infrastructure strategies actually get delivered is something governments must work towards consistently.

EBI can help with these decisions, too – what order to build projects in, how to finance them, what training you will need, and so much more.

Shaping the future of infrastructure around the world

During my year as ICE president, I’ve spoken to many of our members, and they want to see the ICE having a more influential role in shaping the future of infrastructure globally.

EBI is one of our main ways of doing that. It’s not easy, but it’s working.

Step by step, dialogue by dialogue, the ICE will help develop the infrastructure strategies that we need for a sustainable future.