Victoria urged to go the way of other states to reduce carbon by adopting a dollar value per tonne of the pollutant.
Infrastructure Victoria is calling on the government to do more to reduce carbon emissions and has now published a report on how it could do so.
On Thursday, the independent advisory body released its latest advice to the Victorian government, calling on it to update policies, guidelines, and procedures to accelerate decarbonisation in infrastructure decision making. The advice includes a technical report on managing planning, design, construction, maintenance, and the end-of-life of Victoria’s infrastructure.
The report includes 10 recommendations to limit carbon emissions across Victorian government schools, hospitals, transport projects and other infrastructure.
Infrastructure Victoria’s chief executive, Dr Jonathan Spear, said that taking up its advice in emission reduction can help the state save money, improve productivity, and create new jobs.
“There are many ways to reduce the climate impacts of the infrastructure government builds and operates, such as getting better use from existing assets and prioritising low carbon design and materials,” Spear said.
“Our advice outlines a path for the government to make reducing emissions of infrastructure the new business-as-usual.”
These 10 recommendations include:
- develop a comprehensive approach to measure and manage carbon emissions modelled on the UK’s PAS 2080:2023 carbon management in buildings and infrastructure standard.
- identify and adopt carbon measurement tools and deliver training across the Victorian Government.
- value carbon using a target consistent approach and calculate required values to achieve Victorian emissions reduction targets.
- update business case guidelines and templates to integrate emissions reduction.
- measure carbon in infrastructure cost benefit analysis.
- update procurement frameworks and guidance to promote carbon reduction in tenders.
- update standard form contracts to include minimum carbon reduction requirements and incentives for further reductions.
- establish carbon management prequalification requirements for government contracts.
- support the industry to develop zero or low emissions solutions by testing alternative materials and adopting performance based standards.
- update assurance processes to include carbon emissions.
The body also recommends 3 guiding principles in infrastructure decarbonisation decision making:
- prioritise non-build or low build solutions. Aim to better use existing infrastructure or modify it to meet changing needs before considering a new build.
- align approaches with other governments and industry best practices so that Victoria can more rapidly adopt proven approaches, move quickly towards meeting decarbonisation targets, and help build industry capability and expertise.
- clarify the scale and pace of infrastructure emissions reduction to give confidence to the industry to propose or take up options to reduce carbon in the significant pipeline of infrastructure projects underway.
In particular, Spear said the government should adopt a dollar value per tonne of carbon to inform infrastructure planning and business cases – an approach that the New South Wales and other state governments have already adopted.
“We can’t manage what we don’t measure. Valuing emissions in business cases ensures that climate change impacts are considered alongside other costs and benefits of a project,” Spears said.
“Other regions, including the USA and Europe, are introducing restrictions on high emissions materials and sustainability requirements for businesses.
“Reducing emissions of infrastructure means Victoria is better positioned as the global economy shifts.”