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Science for the Green Economy Seminar Series: The New Infrastructures - Opportunity or Risk

66 views · Published 3 July 2015 · 1:38:45 · Indexed 1 October 2026

Channel: Cranfield University SEEA · 2015 · Education

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Register for the next Seminar: www.cranfield.ac.uk/seea/s4ge

Embracing infrastructure risks and opportunities

There is a growing awareness of how existing and new emerging forms of infrastructure interact with the environment. However, this is frequently negative in nature, focusing on potential environmental hazards and risks as opposed to benefits and opportunities. Building on extensive practical experience this presentation will argue that infrastructure operators and regulators must embrace potentially complex and uncertain environmental hazards and risks, and adopt risk management practices, if the environmental opportunities and benefits afforded by infrastructure are to be seized.

Sustainable cities

An increasing number of an expanding population are attracted to cities following trends in urbanization and densification for motives of wealth and well-being. Despite short-term economies of scale from more proximate living, it is clear that these benefits precede Beddington’s perfect storm in which the availability of resources is insufficient for anticipated consumption trends. Radical changes are needed in all infrastructure systems, many of which are today only niche or nascent, if our cities are to be sustainable. This talk suggests a number of radical changes and provides examples of an approach from an international city.

Confirmed speakers
•Professor Simon Pollard, Cranfield University
•Dr Liz Varga, Cranfield University
•Dr Simon Jude, Cranfield University
•Julie Vaughan, Herbert Smith Freehills

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