Circular infrastructure is essential to decarbonisation
Published on: October 19, 2023
€7 billion available for key infrastructure projects
Infrastructure is responsible for more than 79% of global greenhouse gases and consumes 60% of the world’s materials. In a report from Sweco´s knowledge initiative Urban Insight, experts show that only 1% reduction in transport on large projects can save millions of Euros and thousands of tonnes of CO2e. Infrastructure has an important role to play in the move to decarbonisation and sustainability. In Europe investments of billions of Euros are being made in infrastructure projects.
The European Commission recently launched a call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport. Sustainable transport: €7 billion available for key infrastructure projects under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
Over €7 billion is available for projects targeting new, upgraded and improved European transport infrastructure on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), which involve rail, inland waterways, maritime or inland ports, or roads. The projects selected for funding will help the EU deliver on its climate objectives.
Projects funded under these calls will help to increase the sustainability of the trans-European transport network, putting the EU on track to meet the European Green Deal objective of cutting transport emissions by 90% by 2050.
Urban Insight report on the topic of circular materials in infrastructure
Large sums of money and material are invested in infrastructure projects. The impacts are big, but so are the rewards if circular methods become normalised. The EU goal is for 70 per cent of non-contaminated construction and demolition waste to be recycled.
Today, the European aggregate sector is only 7 per cent circular – but according to the European Aggregates Association, it is possible to reach 20 per cent circularity. In the Urban Insight report “Circular materials in infrastructure – The road to a decarbonised future“, Sweco shows that by going from a 7 per cent circular use of aggregates to 20 per cent, it is possible to reduce virgin material costs of up to EUR 6 billion, saving 546 million tonnes each year. This is almost the same quantity that Germany produces every year.
Circular use of infrastructure materials has significant environmental, economic, and social impacts and circularity is important for several reasons.
Firstly, it helps to reduce the amount of waste generated in construction, which is a major contributor to global waste. Secondly, it conserves natural resources by extending the life of existing materials and reducing the need for new materials.
Thirdly, it can help to reduce the carbon footprint of construction by reducing the energy required to produce new materials and transport them to the construction site. Finally, circular use of infrastructure materials can be more cost-effective than traditional linear approaches to construction, as it reduces the need to purchase new materials and dispose of waste.
The challenges are global, the rules and regulations are national, the consequences are local, says Elisabeth Gammelsæter, Senior Industry Advisor, Sweco in Norway.
There are huge savings to be made. Only 1% reduction in transport on large projects can save millions of Euros and thousands of tonnes of CO2e.
To make this important shift to circularity faster, Sweco has produced an action list.
