Responding to the climate crisis and aligning strategy and investment in the transport sector to net zero has become a preeminent concern. Decision makers and planners are grappling with new and evolving concepts, such as embodied emissions and scope 3. This presentation will ‘walk through’ these concepts, from theory to their practical implications for infrastructure projects, with reference to several Queensland road and rail developments. In doing so, it will canvass opportunities and potential pitfalls, empowering participants to contribute to this fundamental challenge for the transport sector. The main concepts covered will include:
- Global climate agreements and the Paris 1.5°C goal – what do these mean in the context of transport project selection and delivery in Australia?
- Scope 1 emissions – related mainly to diesel in construction – how relevant are these emissions and how can coordinated action overcome barriers (e.g. access to biofuels or introduction of alternatively powered plant and equipment)?
- Scope 2 emissions – how will grid decarbonisation and TMR’s renewables transition (e.g. Power Purchase Agreement) influence the carbon footprint of infrastructure?
- Embodied emissions – what are the strategic opportunities and risks in decarbonising materials?
- Other scope 3 emissions – how can projects evaluate and account for emissions in supply chains?
- User (customer) emissions – how does the use of the infrastructure by vehicles and rolling stock get covered? What is the link to transforming the transport network (e.g. EV infrastructure)
- Resilience and adaptation – what are the key lessons from project-based risk assessments and adaptations?
- Disclosure, sustainability ratings and environmental claims – how is this content area being implicitly mandated?
The presentation will integrate and tie these concepts to specific opportunities realised and challenges experienced with road projects on the Bruce Highway, M1 and Captain Cook Highway, as well as Cross River Rail (subject to client/TMR approval of content).
