ICE review

I visited Hong Kong in January to deliver ICE’s recommendations on low-carbon-dioxide urban development to the Hong Kong government. Our report Infrastructure: shaping Hong Kong argued that Hong Kong should take the opportunity to establish itself as a global leader in quality, sustainable urban development.

The report set out a long-term roadmap for developing Hong Kong’s infrastructure networks and identified improving energy efficiency in buildings as a vital first step. It also called for greenhouse gas emissions created in delivering and operating infrastructure to be assessed and integrated into decision making, including options that reduce the need for new construction such as retrofitting or improved asset management.

The report was funded by ICE’s ‘Shaping the world’ initiative, which turns knowledge into action for public good. It was based on joint research by ICE and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which generated insight into how Hong Kong can achieve ‘low-carbon’ living in a dense urban environment. The report can be read at www.ice.org.uk/shapinghongkong.

Prior to the UK general election in May last year, we published an ICE manifesto for infrastructure. This resulted in a commitment from all major parties to prioritise infrastructure in their election manifestos and led to establishment of the National Infrastructure Commission, of which I am a member.

We have recently launched regional manifestos in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and London, each urging politicians in the devolved government and mayoral elections on 5 May to make specific infrastructure commitments in their own manifestos. Calls for each region centre on ensuring delivery of key projects, building network resilience and securing long-term investment.

Northern Ireland’s regional development minister Michelle McIlveen hosted the launch at Stormont, Welsh minister for finance and government business Jane Hutt received ICE Wales Cymru’s manifesto at the Senedd and Scottish business and energy minister Fergus Ewing met ICE Scotland following its launch.

A column in the Evening Standard also echoed ICE London’s call for a more radical approach to securing the £1·3 trillion investment needed in the capital’s infrastructure by 2050.

Severe flooding struck the UK once again over Christmas and into the New Year, affecting many. ICE was again at the forefront of the debate providing expert insight and analysis to media.

Our calls for more innovative and holistic approaches to flood resilience, which would avoid relying solely on conventional defences, were widely publicised together with our concerns on flood defence maintenance.

Not only is the maintenance budget for UK defences insufficient, it is allocated annually meaning spending is reactive, piecemeal and frequently inadequate. Funding to maintain existing defences should be factored into spending plans from the outset – ICE has long called for a move towards a whole-life approach to infrastructure investment.

Past ICE president David Balmforth, along with many other ICE flood experts, were quoted in national titles such as the Guardian, The Times and The Economist as well as regional titles including The Yorkshire Post. ICE experts were also interviewed on Sky News, BBC News, the BBC Today programme, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio Wales.