The original ICE Charter for Sustainable Development 1 was launched in 2003 and outlined the expectations of the Institution with regard to its members′ awareness and professional practice in contributing to sustainable development. Suitable clauses were introduced into the rules for membership and guidance on accreditation of University degree courses. But as well as forming its expectations of others, the Institution drew up an action plan for itself in the policy paper ‘Society, sustainability and civil engineering’.2 This was produced jointly with the Association of Consulting Engineers (ACE), Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) and Construction Products Association (CPA).
A review earlier this year concluded that the majority of actions in that plan had been delivered, including the development of CEEQUAL (the civil engineering environmental quality awards scheme), producing guidance on whole-life value,3 initiating the Demolition Protocol now adopted by WRAP4 and, not least, establishing this journal.
But time moves on and plans need updating. When the UK Government published its new sustainable development strategy5 in March 2005, the ICE Environment and Sustainability Board decided it was time to refresh ICE policy. In his inaugural address6 ICE President Gordon Masterton asked Vice-President Paul Jowitt to work with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE) to produce a Protocol for Engineering a Sustainable Future for the Planet.7
The Protocol was launched during the Brunel bicentenary celebrations at the triennial ASCE, CSCE and ICE conference ‘Safety, Security and Sustainability’. (It is reproduced in the inside front cover of this issue.) The Protocol begins with frank and simple statements about the Issues to be addressed and the important role that civil engineers must take in tackling them, both as individuals and within organisations. It recognises the vital role of civil engineers in the Processes necessary to deliver sustainability. Then it turns to Outcomes and pledges ASCE, CSCE and ICE to formulate and develop an action plan to deliver their contribution to sustainable development.
In concluding his presentation to the conference, Professor Jowitt asked delegates to consider what delivering sustainable development meant for our personal and professional lives and within the organisations for which we work. He asked what actions should be taken and perhaps most importantly, do we have the will?
For its part, ICE has begun the process of developing an action plan in partnership with ACE, CECA, CIRIA, CPA and in consultation with members of Government and other construction industry bodies. A consultation was held during July and the steering group has formulated its first tentative attempt at a plan. Watch this space.
