The Future of National Infrastructure: A System-of-Systems Approach

Infrastructure forms the economic backbone of modern society. It is a key determinant of economic competitiveness, social well-being and environmental sustainability. Yet infrastructure systems (energy, transport, water, waste and ICT) in advanced economies globally face serious challenges. For the first time, a leading team of researchers sets out a systematic approach to making long-term choices about national infrastructure systems. Great Britain is used as a case study to demonstrate how the methodologies and accompanying models can be effectively applied in a national infrastructure assessment. Lessons and insights for other industrialised nations and emerging economies are highlighted, demonstrating practical scenarios for delivering infrastructure services in a wide range of future socio-economic and environmental conditions. The Future of National Infrastructure provides practitioners, policy-makers, and academics with the concepts, models and tools needed to identify and test robust, sustainable, and resilient strategies for the provision of national infrastructure.

Jim W. Hall is Director of the Environmental Change Institute and Professor of Climate and Environmental Risks in the University of Oxford. A civil engineer by background, Professor Hall has pioneered the use of risk analysis to inform tough decisions about the future of infrastructure systems. He advises governments, agencies and utilities globally on how to adapt their systems and plan for an uncertain future.

Martino Tran is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, and advises governments and industry on energy and environment. With a background in environmental science and mathematical modelling he applies systems thinking and decision sciences for addressing societal challenges in sustainability. He holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford and has published widely on the future impacts of technology on society and environment.

Adrian J. Hickford is Senior Research Assistant in the Transportation Research Group at the University of Southampton. As well as his recent work on possible future changes to national infrastructure systems, he has been involved in a number of projects in the UK and across Europe aiming to increase the use of sustainable transport, reducing the associated risks, and improving current practices of traffic accident data gathering and use.

Robert J. Nicholls, Professor of Coastal Engineering at the University of Southampton, is a coastal engineer with expertise in integrated assessment and systems perspectives and climate change impact and adaptation assessment. He was awarded the Roger Revelle Medal 2008 by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Executive Council, which recognises outstanding contributions to the ocean sciences. He advises several national governments on coastal impacts and adaptation to climate change.