Infrastructure and the path to net zero

Ten industry bodies have joined forced to co-ordinate, collaborate and report on Australian infrastructure’s pathway to net zero.

The Infrastructure Net Zero collaboration will share the responsibility of decarbonisation, and look at methods to combine the time, effort and expertise to develop initiatives to drive change.

It will be led by a steering committee with a mix of private and public organisations:

• Australian Constructors Association
• Green Building Council of Australia
• Australasian Railways Association
• Infrastructure Australia
• Clean Energy Finance Corporation
• Infrastructure Partnerships Australia
• Consult Australia
• Infrastructure Sustainability Council
• Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
• Roads Australia.

Independent Chair of Infrastructure Net Zero Nicole Lockwood says the joint initiative will help the whole sector go further and faster – together.

“The tightened targets for 2030 and 2050, the huge pipeline of new projects and the need to adapt to increasing climate shocks have brewed the perfect storm,” she says. “The time for decisive action is now.”

The steering committee will provide strategic direction over the work plan that initially comprises four work streams, addressing the priority issues common to all the major infrastructure sub-sectors. These are:

1. Defining net zero for infrastructure – outlining the guiding principles for decarbonising the sector
2. Public/private sector alignment – cross-sectoral engagement for practical policy and regulation 
3. Uplifting capability in the supply chain – upskilling the private sector to continuously improve and innovate 
4. Procurement for net zero – aligning procurement processes to effectively cascade across the supply chain.

Minister for Industry, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Honourable Catherine King MP, says the joint initiative will help ensure Australia’s transport and transport infrastructure sectors play their part on the path to net zero emissions.