Industry Task Force
Measurement and Transparency Task Force
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Industry Task Force
The Measurement and Transparency Task Force
A collaborative effort led by the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI), the Measurement and Transparency Hub works to enhance the methodologies and data used to measure and report the environmental impacts of infrastructure projects.
The Hub will create a globally consistent measurement system and/or tool to inform and incentivise capital investment in sustainable infrastructure. This will be based on a set of agreed metrics that reflect the environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects of infrastructure development and operations. The Hub will leverage existing tools, metrics and data sources – both formative and in the markets – to work with stakeholders across the infrastructure lifecycle, ensuring alignment and transparency.
As the world addresses the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, there is an urgent need to transform the way we plan, finance, and deliver infrastructure projects.
Since our formation, the focus of the Measurement and Transparency Hub has been to create a forward-looking, decision-ready tool to measure the impact of nature on infrastructure development projects. I am very pleased that working together we have developed this – the SMI Nature Risk Tool.
This is the first forward-looking tool designed to be used early in the planning or feasibility of projects to improve decisions and investment returns associated with the impact on nature and biodiversity. It supports the go-no-go decision on infrastructure projects, by evaluating the nature risk and impact, to help users avoid costly delays, reputational damage, and legal liabilities, and unlock new sources of value, innovation, and financing.
The tool supports users in meeting the growing expectations and requirements of regulators, investors, clients, and communities, who are all increasingly demanding more nature-positive outcomes from infrastructure projects. Drawing on global datasets and frameworks, such as the TNFD, the tool allows users to assess the nature-related risks and opportunities of any proposed infrastructure project, based on its location and scale, to provide a comprehensive and consistent analysis of its potential impact and dependencies on biodiversity, ecosystems and natural capital. We will be launching the tool later in 2024.
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Latest news
Prototype digital innovation to bring global-scale nature intelligence to infrastructure projects
First-of-its-kind tool will gauge the impact of infrastructure projects on nature, giving critical insights into project risks at key decision making milestones.
Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Measurement and Transparency Hub, led by AECOM, is developing a new digital tool which enables project investors and promoters to make early assessments on the extent nature will either impact, or be impacted by, the development of infrastructure.
Enabled by AI, this tool marks the first-time data at this scale has been brought together, with results processed, curated and delivered in a digestible written format, flagging issues which need to be considered or require deeper investigation.
The tool pinpoints locations anywhere in the world (at a scale of metres), to instantly pull up expert reviewed descriptions of that location’s habitat and biomes.
Drawing on the expertise of thousands of AECOM’s environmental experts, this forward-looking tool will be used at project origination stage, supporting site optioneering and feasibility, improving decisions and efficiency, including the potential to dramatically reduce impacts on nature and biodiversity.
Troy Rudd, CEO, AECOM and Head of the Measurement and Transparency HubThe World Bank attributes more than 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions and up to 80% of habitat loss and fragmentation to infrastructure projects. The Measurement and Transparency Hub is actively working to find solutions that will address this issue.
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CEO Task Force Members
Troy Rudd
Tony O. Sullivan
Sean McGovern
Patrick Holden
Louis Dowling
David Craig
Peter Kanning
John McCalla-Leacy
Manpreet Junega
Acknowledgment of Nature Working Group
Troy Rudd, CEO, AECOM and head of the Measurement and Transparency HUBI would like to formally acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Members of the Nature Working Group of the Measurement and Transparency Taskforce. Your time and expertise over the last 18 months have been invaluable. The advice, steer and recommendations that you provided have helped us to develop a decision-useful tool that fills a significant gap in the toolbox for key actors in infrastructure project origination. Your contributions have been instrumental in our success, and I want to thank you for your commitment. Your efforts are truly appreciated.