The 18th Annual UK Sustainable Infrastructure Summit 2023

The 2023 Summit addressed the urgent need for the UK to rapidly decarbonise energy generation and transport so that the UK can meet its net zero targets. The speakers assessed the investment environment and the relative attractiveness of the UK, given the U.S. IRA and the emerging EU equivalent, as well as a range of other relevant issues. There was a detailed focus on the opportunities and challenges in delivering the government’s sustainable infrastructure plans, including the government’s revised Net Zero Strategy and Green Finance Strategy. Significant investment from the private sector will be required if electricity generation and transport are to be decarbonised. Turning to market developments, we examined the UK Infrastructure Bank’s key investment priorities, as well as the latest innovations in finance, including the development of new partnership structures.

The programme focused on the challenge of scaling up EV infrastructure from electric cars to electric vans, trucks and buses, and the particular challenges involved with providing appropriate and sufficient infrastructure for each category. This in-person conference featured insightful presentations from, and informed debate between, senior experts and government representatives on the key topics involved.

As we recover from the impact of the pandemic, the UK is seeing a real push towards EV adoption, driven by a combination of government initiatives in support of its Net-Zero Target. The UK Environment Bill and the Government’s Transport Decarbonisation plan are key in relation to improving air quality and speeding up the associated decarbonisation of road vehicles. To what extent will they catalyse the transition to EVs and encourage investment in EV infrastructure?

To replace the financing  gap left by the EIB no longer being able to invest in UK infrastructure  projects, the government launched the UK infrastructure Bank on 17 June. Unlike the EIB, the new infrastructure bank has been designed  specifically to ‘crowd in’ private sector investment, which the market has welcomed. The confirmation that £15bn of green gilts will be issued  this year, the proceeds of which will be used for energy transition projects, should also be useful in providing new funds for the  realisation of the government’s national infrastructure strategy.

The government's announcement in February 2020 that it is bringing forward the ban on petrol, diesel and hybrid cars from 2040 to 2035 has sharpened the focus on how the UK is going to have the necessary EV infrastructure in place, in time to meet this challenging timetable.

The second edition of the EV Infrastructure Summit (7-8 October) focused on the opportunities and challenges involved in establishing a UK-wide charging infrastructure.

Against the backdrop of renewed determination at the federal and state level to address the infrastructure crisis in the U.S., City & Financial Global’s P3 Policy and Delivery Leaders Summit, was held at the exclusive Cosmos Club in Washington D.C. on May 14th and 15th, will be a key gathering for senior members of the U.S. and international infrastructure community.

The program had been developed in close collaboration with DJ Gribbin, Former Infrastructure Adviser to President Trump, and currently Nonresident Senior Fellow, the Brookings Institution, Senior Operating Partner, Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners and Founder, Madrus, LLC. DJ Gribbin is also chairing the summit.