Application of sustainable infrastructure criteria at publicly owned infrastructure management companies

Public infrastructure faces rising pressures from climate change and other environmental factors, requiring it to mitigate negative impacts and adapt to diverse social needs. The United Nations (hereinafter – UN) Sustainable Development Goals have set multiple objectives to be achieved by 2030, the Paris Agreement requires limiting global warming to a certain level, and the European Union, in its Green Deal policy package and the follow-up Clean Industry Deal package, has established its ambition to become climate-neutral by 2050 and invest in this direction. These targets require construction and operation of sustainable infrastructure, which may facilitate achievement of economic, environmental, and social goals on equal terms. While existing research has defined the characteristics of sustainable infrastructure, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding their practical implementation and strategies to promote adoption. This paper examines how various public infrastructure managers (state- or municipality-owned companies) across the energy (electricity and heating), transport (air and rail), and water management sectors apply sustainable infrastructure criteria in their operations as well as the reasoning behind their approach. This study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including content analysis of 30 reports and structured interviews with 11 experts. The results of the research demonstrate that the companies do consider certain sustainability aspects in their infrastructure development decisions; however, they mostly focus on short- to medium-term benefits rather than long-term gains and radical improvements of their infrastructures and the services they enable. Specifically, resilience to diverse external impacts (including climate hazards) and timely assessment of future risks and their mitigation are rarely considered. The paper highlights potential solutions for that through the development of a decision-making model that encompasses both outputs (solutions to current short- and medium-term issues and related benefits) and outcomes (long-term impacts and radical changes to the infrastructure systems and their service models). • Use of sustainability criteria in public infrastructure management has increased • Introduction of sustainability reporting for companies is partly a driver for that • However, the main focus is on more tangible medium-term improvements • Long-term resilience and creating radical change are rather exceptions than a rule • Being subject to political shifts, companies need a scientific decision-making model