Huge step forward for UK decarbonisation – but more must be done

Today, we saw a truly momentous event in the UK. The Government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has committed investment for the UK’s first decarbonised industrial clusters, which will see the development of two world-class carbon capture and storage networks. In Teesside, the East Coast Cluster will enable carbon from the region’s industrial activity to be safely collected and stored in the North Sea, instead of being pumped into our atmosphere.

It's a crucial, and bold, step on the UK’s path to net zero.

I firmly believe that infrastructure is central to the UK’s decarbonisation mission. I’ve seen first-hand how the UK is a world-leader in delivering transformative ‘mega’ projects, whether it’s the Channel Tunnel, Thames Barrier or Crossrail. We have the knowledge, tools, skills and talent to rise to any challenge; is there any project more ‘mega’ than tackling the climate crisis?

On Teesside, we’re working with bp and Net Zero Teesside to deliver the onshore pipeline system for carbon capture, as well as supporting them to design an overlaying network for hydrogen, both vital parts of the UK's energy transition mission. One of the best aspects of the project is the genuine pride I see when speaking to people across our business and with our local partners. There’s a real buzz that we’re at the forefront of the strategic shift to UK net zero.

The East Coast Cluster is a great example of the public and private sectors working together; businesses, regulators, and local and national governments pulling in the same direction to achieve something greater than the sum of their parts. Clearly, more collaboration is needed to upskill the workforce, maximise employment opportunities and collaborate with local supply chains – failure to do so will lose momentum in this space. But there is now confidence in the case for investment zones that unlock private financing, creating a more agile and bolder environment for infrastructure investment, without putting taxpayers at risk.

Maintaining momentum is critical; there is now a much clearer path for scaling up blue and green hydrogen infrastructure, which would catapult the UK to a leading position on the global stage.

And whether it’s carbon capture, hydrogen, alleviating pollution-generating congestion on our transport networks, or safeguarding our water supply, infrastructure is critical to delivering the changes needed for the UK to respond to climate change.

But there’s something of a paradox here. At the same time as solving many of the UK’s climate change challenges, the infrastructure industry is also one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions. The embodied carbon in the core materials used for infrastructure projects, like steel, concrete and aggregates, is considerable. Low-carbon alternatives are either not viable or simply don’t exist yet, certainly not at the scale required.

But by accepting that infrastructure is intertwined with the climate problem, we’re also acknowledging that the industry is uniquely placed to be part of the solution.

At Costain, we’re trying to drive positive change. We’re investing in low-carbon research groups such as Future Roads. We have made good progress in decarbonising traditional construction techniques, reducing carbon through better design, improving data quality through our own carbon tracker platform and have included carbon reduction targets and biodiversity net gain plans in all our relevant contracts. We are proud members of The Climate Pledge and Supply Chain Sustainability School (UK) and have a leading voice in accelerating the industry’s response to cutting emissions.

But no one can do this in isolation. Decarbonising infrastructure demands innovation, collaboration and working with government and regulators to reshape policies that will enable the UK to build a more sustainable future. It requires a whole-system approach, and it must also be done in a way that fuels economic growth, creates jobs for the long term and addresses skills shortages across the country.

One day, perhaps not too far off, governments will have to mandate that all public infrastructure is built with progressively lower carbon materials. Banks, pension funds and other investors may also evolve to a position where they insist that all infrastructure financing relates to the use of low-carbon products. These interventions will create a market and drive the materials manufacturers to innovate and create low-carbon solutions to an accelerated timescale. It’s a vital part of the puzzle.

The need to upgrade the UK’s infrastructure to protect us from climate change, and tackle its effects, has never been more important. Everyone has a role to play and must play it to the fullest extent, to keep up the momentum and make the progress that’s required. ?