As COP28\u2019s official sustainability advisor, AECOM had a unique view of this year\u2019s conference, as we sought to integrate sustainability into every touch point of the delegate and visitor experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether via our carbon tracking tool used throughout the conference, or through our participation in numerous bilateral meetings, industry debates and panel discussions, our team on the ground demonstrated our commitment to addressing the climate emergency, and our capability to drive positive change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, as post-conference discussion focuses on what must happen next to realize the potential of the final agreement, there is cause to be optimistic for what lies ahead.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n At a time marked by both significant challenge and opportunity, we believe climate ambition is translating into sustainable, meaningful, collective climate action \u2013 and that the last few weeks in Dubai have demonstrated that progress is accelerating, particularly across the infrastructure and built environment space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The COP28 agreement by nearly 200 countries to \u201ctransition away from fossil fuels\u201d is significant after looking improbable early on, and the COP28 pledge to triple renewable energy investment and production is a landmark moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When both agreements are framed in the context of International Energy Agency (IEA) research that predicts global spending on clean energy is to reach US$1.8trillion in 2023 \u2013 outpacing the US$1.1 trillion allocated to fossil fuels \u2013 it\u2019s clear this \u201ctransition away\u201d via investment in offshore wind, solar and hydrogen is already well underway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We see investment in renewable energy \u2013 and in the global energy transition \u2013 as one of several secular trends alongside broader infrastructure investment, and investment specifically focused on sustainability and resilience, that reinforce the \u201cglass half full\u201d view of many at COP28. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the U.S., the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) have sharpened private-sector focus around clean energy investment, and elsewhere around the world we are seeing significant growth in green investment and technologies. The global \u201cinfrastructure renaissance\u201d we\u2019re helping deliver is increasingly being approached through a sustainability and resilience lens, a marked departure from even a few years ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n