The world’s population is growing, creating an ever-growing demand for infrastructure – whether it’s energy, transport or water. Australia is no exception, and over recent years we’ve seen an explosion in infrastructure investment, a trend that’s set to continue throughout this decade and beyond. Yet, like every other sector, infrastructure must also be developed and operated within our planet’s environmental boundaries. Good infrastructure can help reduce a population’s demand for resources, but new rail links and energy projects can also use a vast amount of materials in their construction and have far-reaching impacts on landscapes and communities.
Rating schemes such as that developed by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia have helped to drive enormous changes in the sector, making sustainability business as usual for many companies and Government departments. But if we are to limit global warming to less than two degrees, best practice needs to evolve daily.