Resilience First, in partnership with the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI), has today announced the launch of the Engineering Leadership Group (ELG), a new engagement platform to capture the voice of global engineering firms. The ELG is a network of the world’s leading engineering firms committed to advancing infrastructure sustainability, resilience and climate action through a global advocacy campaign targeting the most critical international decision-making bodies considering the future of the built and natural environment.
As the world responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing urbanization and now indisputable and increasingly catastrophic impacts of climate change and extreme weather, unprecedented investments in infrastructure, both domestically and through development finance will be made in the coming decade. Sustainable and resilient infrastructure and finance are at the top of the agenda for the G7, G20 and UNFCCC this year, yet the voice of the global engineering community has largely been absent from these negotiations. The creation of the ELG responds to this critical gap and creates a platform for engineering firms to consolidate their voice and claim a seat at the decision-making table.
Specifically, the Engineering Leadership Group will:
- Establish official relationships with international platforms considering infrastructure policy and investment;
- Develop and agree upon joint positions related to sustainable and resilient infrastructure and the role of engineering;
- Advocate on behalf of global engineering firms to advance the aim of more sustainable, resilient and equitable infrastructure solutions worldwide.
Convened by Resilience First and ICSI, the ELG will be led by its members, global engineering firms at the forefront of advancing sustainable, resilient and equitable approaches to infrastructure. Founding members include multinational engineering firms Arup, Wood, and WSP, with a combined global footprint of over 100,000 professionals and representing $2B in sustainable infrastructure revenue. We welcome interest from any engineering firm equally committed to these goals.
Simon Collins, Chair, Resilience First
‘The collaboration of leading engineering firms, through the newly created ELG, will help determine how infrastructure projects will address climate change challenges and build resilience. Their technical expertise will be invaluable in policy discussions and their voice critical in attracting and guiding investments in the right projects. Firms in the ELG will lead the way in putting resilience at the core of infrastructure projects around the world.’
Richard Threlfall, Chair, ICSI
‘The world needs to start viewing infrastructure through the lenses of sustainability, resilience, and climate action, in support of the attainment of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The work of the ELG will support this ambition and help prioritize investment in projects that build sustainability and resilience into the infrastructure lifecycle from the outset’.
Jo da Silva, Global Director of Sustainable Development, Arup
‘According to some estimates, low and middle income countries need to expand infrastructure investment seven-fold, to over US$1 trillion per year, just to address climate change. The ELG will seek to address this investment gap through harnessing engineering talent towards climate action, advocacy and policy change.’
Peter Hall, VP, Global Director for Climate Resilience & ESG, Wood; UNFCCC Climate Champions Race to Resilience Team
‘With adaptation and resilience being on equal footing as net-zero initiatives, the ELG can play a transformational role in accelerating within the finance and engineering sectors the projects that must be created to drive the race to resilience and community impacts.’
Tom Lewis, Climate, Resilience & Sustainability Business Line Executive, WSP
‘It is increasingly clear that the built environment will continue to impact, and be impacted by, climate change and natural hazards. The latest IPCC Report highlights the risk to critical infrastructure and the urgent need for design standards to account for changing climate conditions. The formation of the ELG is a critical step in advancing sustainability and resilience for our clients and communities and bringing those with the technical know-how to the fore of these decisions on a global level.’
For more information, please contact: Beena Chester, Director of Business Engagement, Resilience First, bchester@resiliencefirst.org.
