Transitioning the UK’s economy to net zero will require infrastructure investment to increase to over £50bn per year over the next decade – more than double the amount currently being invested.
This infrastructure will provide the backbone for a new wave of green jobs across the country, with the UK government targeting 2 million green jobs by 2030.
Infrastructure Investment required to hit net zero by 2050 (£bn per year figure.)
Unlike jobs in tech and financial services which tend to cluster in London, sustainable infrastructure jobs will likely be spread across the UK’s regions – where our engineering, manufacturing and energy expertise remains, and where the next generation of wind farms, EV chargers, heat pumps and hydrogen industrial hubs will ultimately get built. If investors, businesses and government can co-ordinate their investment decisions, the next generation of sustainable infrastructure can also act as the anchor around which future jobs and businesses can cluster.
We believe that the twin opportunities of net zero and unlocking the UK’s regional potential can go hand in hand, whilst investing in the growth of UK sustainable infrastructure businesses can also offer a highly attractive risk-reward profile for investors. These businesses combine the downside protection that comes from building asset-backed infrastructure, with the upside potential that comes from investing growth equity in platforms rapidly scaling critical infrastructure sectors.
UK 2022 CO2 Emissions (MtCO2e) by sector
To learn more about the opportunities sustainable infrastructure investment can provide, download our “Unlocking the UK’s Regional Potential through Sustainable Infrastructure” white paper written by our Sustainable Infrastructure Team in conjunction with Pension Fund Service, by filling out the form below.
