Ambition alone will not decarbonise infrastructure
As infrastructure decarbonisation moves into implementation, leaders are being pushed to make defensible decisions under uncertainty. Despite growing political backlash around climate and sustainability initiatives in some markets, many organisations continue advancing decarbonisation efforts.
Nathan Alexander Senior Advisor - Sustainability & Resilience Resources, GHD
B etween April 2024 and May 2025, 85 percent of 75 global firms¹ maintained or accelerated sustainability initiatives, while more than 10,000 companies now hold validated science-based targets². However, as infrastructure decarbonisation moves into implementation, scrutiny is shifting from targets alone to the credibility of delivery. Net Zero Stocktake 2025 found that only 7 percent of assessed companies met minimum integrity criteria³ for their net-zero targets, increasing pressure on organisations to demonstrate how decarbonisation strategies will be funded, delivered and governed in practice. Targets are common. Credible delivery is rare. 85% of firms maintained or accelerated sustainability initiatives (April 2024 - May 2025) 10,000+ companies now hold
These expectations are shaping core infrastructure investment and delivery decisions. Funders, regulators, auditors and communities now expect decisions to be transparent, evidence-based and defensible. Major financial institutions, including the European Investment Bank and World Bank Group, have aligned financing activities with the goals of the Paris Agreement, further embedding climate considerations into infrastructure investment decisions. Regulatory expectations are also tightening, with the United Nations Environment Programme calling for all G20 countries and at least 75 other nations to implement zero-emissions-aligned building codes by 2030⁴. In this context, organisations are required to make long-term infrastructure decisions before technologies, standards, funding mechanisms and markets have fully stabilised, making robust and transparent decision- making essential. Meeting these expectations requires stronger capabilities in three areas: funding, timelines and governance.
validated science-based targets 7%
met minimum integrity criteria for their net-zero targets (Net Zero Stocktake 2025)
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