Rob Arnold discussed the imperative of enhancing infrastructure resilience at OECD's Forum
Written on 25 Apr 2024.
Rob Arnold, Sustainability Research Director at EDHEC-Risk Climate Impact Institute, has been invited to take part in a panel discussion on "Reporting standards to address resilience for investors” at the OECD Infrastructure Forum: Infrastructure for Resilience, which took place on April 9 and 10 in Paris.
Other panelists included Christophe Dossarps, CEO, Source; Nancy Saich, Chief Climate Change Expert, EIB; Richard Manley, Chief Sustainability Officer, CPP Investments; Jorrit Zwijnenburg, Head of Sectoral Accounts, OECD. The session was moderated by Nicolas Pinaud, Deputy Director, OECD.
During the roundtable, expert panelists discussed the integration of project-level certification with company-level reporting standards, focusing on enhancing sustainability and resilience in infrastructure investments. Key topics included:
- Challenges and solutions in implementing reporting standards, addressing operational difficulties in balancing detailed reporting needs with investor requirements.
- Importance of standardized data collection, discussing the critical role of robust reporting to ensure performance meets sustainable infrastructure expectations.
- Broader sustainability issues, exploring how to operationalize quality infrastructure investment principles for investor assessments.
During his presentation, Rob Arnold shared insights on the significant challenges involved in collecting data on the exposure of infrastructure assets to climate risks. His discussion underscored the difficulties in evaluating both the financial and sustainability performance of infrastructure companies. Rob highlighted EDHEC's efforts in maintaining a platform that not only focuses on the financial aspects but also on the sustainable performance of infrastructure assets. This includes analyzing their capacity to decarbonize and withstand extreme weather conditions.
Rob also stressed the urgent need for existing infrastructure to be upgraded or improved to better handle such conditions and reduce carbon emissions. He pointed out the inherent challenges in sustainable investment, particularly when assets don't meet defined sustainability criteria, which can affect their attractiveness to investors. The discourse then shifted to the importance of developing effective regulatory frameworks and reporting standards to provide clear insights into the risks and performance of infrastructure, which is essential for investors and policymakers.
These discussions highlighted the critical intersection of sustainability, data accessibility, and infrastructure management in the face of climate change, emphasizing a path forward that involves significant technological and regulatory upgrades.
To watch the replay of the roundtable, follow this link or click on the image below:
About EDHEC
Operating from campuses in Lille, Nice, Paris, London and Singapore, EDHEC is one of the world’s top 15 business schools. Fully international and directly connected to the business world, EDHEC commands a strong reputation for research excellence and the ability to train entrepreneurs and managers capable of breaking new ground. EDHEC functions as a genuine laboratory of ideas and produces innovative solutions valued by businesses. The School’s teaching is inspired by its research work and a focus on “learning by doing”, all with the aim of equipping people with the skills to succeed in business.
