Jim Hall to lead Enabling Better Infrastructure steering group

Jim Hall, ICE Senior Vice President and professor of climate and environmental risks at the University of Oxford, has become chair of the Enabling Better Infrastructure (EBI) steering group.

The ICE-led programme, which today launched a new report and guidance at an event in Singapore, helps governments plan infrastructure strategically to meet people’s needs.

Sir Michael Bear, who has led the steering group since the programme’s inception in 2019, is delighted to pass the chair to Professor Hall.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve already accomplished with the EBI programme and look forward to seeing the talented and knowledgeable experts who have contributed make further progress,” he said.

“Purposeful, well-planned infrastructure is key in addressing many challenges we face. EBI is a powerful tool for decision-makers who want to improve their processes and outcomes.”

About the EBI programme

EBI envisions a world where sustainable and resilient infrastructure supports people in living safe, healthy, and productive lives.

Convened by the ICE, it helps governments see beyond the uncertainties of the day to develop stable, sustainable, and investable infrastructure project pipelines.

The programme brings together independent specialists with deep, wide-ranging experience to support governments in putting its core principles into practice.

About the new guidance

The world has changed since 2019.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a lasting economic impact. And worldwide, the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly profound.

In 2024, at least 64 countries – representing half the world’s population, more than any year in history – will hold national elections.

As they re-evaluate infrastructure policies and projects, many new governments will face difficult questions about affordability and priorities.

In this context, the new EBI principles, three-step process, and gap assessment tool will help infrastructure policymakers make decisions with purpose, certainty, and pace.

To update the guidance, the ICE held three public consultations to understand how strategic infrastructure planning has changed over the last four years.

“To address the climate crisis, we need to change how we think about infrastructure in the long term,” said Professor Hall. “Sustainability needs to be embedded in our planning and delivery processes at the outset, at both a regional and national level.

“I look forward to working with the EBI partners to improve infrastructure planning for many people and places.”

Find out more about EBI and download the new report.