b'Member News November 2020 23IET societal challenges: working towards a sustainable planetAn engineers thoughts on COVID-19, climate change and building infrastructure for the futureBy Olivia Carpenter-Lomax CEng MIET, Vice-Chair, IET Energy Sector Executive CommitteeWhy is innovationof us move to working andthe planet. We still need key to rebuilding ourschooling from home. to push to decarbonise economy? The pandemic has shown usquickly and effectively in order to achieve net-zero in The coronavirus outbreak hashow important infrastructurethe timescales we need.presented many challengesreally is but we know there across the world and hasare more upcoming challengesMost of these issues will changed life as we know it.as we react to, and deal withrequire collaborative action and Our key workers, such asthe impacts of climate change.a clear strategy for achieving healthcare professionals,Its important that movingthe Committee on Climate teachers and shop workers,forward, infrastructures areChanges net-zero target. One have kept the UK going anddesigned to be sustainable,example that will help meet its important to acknowledgeresilient and agile to becarbon reduction targets the role engineers andable to adapt to changingand achieve clean growth, technicians have played. Onsituations.is to transform our energyOlivia Carpenter-Lomax CEng MIETthe ground, engineers havesystem so that all the different kept infrastructure runningHow important is itcomplex systems within it,producing the right regulatory by making sure that we stillthat any economicsuch as physical assets, digitalconditions, and supporting have power, carrying outrecovery is also ainfrastructure and the marketthe change as it happens.routine maintenance andgreen recovery? structures, are engineered asThe pandemic has highlighted upgrades, as well as fixingone whole system for economic faults and making repairs.While we continue toand sustainable growth.the damage that can be Theyve also ensured ourbattle towards recoveryWe can also leverage thecaused by business disruption, digital services can cope withfrom this pandemic in theinteraction between the energyand while there was no the increases in demand,short-term, climate changesector with other sectors likemajor outage of our critical as we stay connected withremains the most significanttransport, communicationsinfrastructure, this may friends and family, and manylong-term challenge forand the built environment,not be the case for future to provide services anddisruptions, such as those infrastructure that are built tothat will be caused by climate serve society sustainably.change (major weather events, flooding, and a change in What does the UKdemand patterns). Therefore, Government need to doits essential that as part of to meet net-zero goalsa green recovery, we build whilst rebuilding theinfrastructure, systems and solutions that can cope with economy and creatingthis. In addition, we need to much-needed jobs? see a coordinated nationwide We need the Governmentroll-out of retrofit, increased to resource and supportwork on decarbonising heating innovation and infrastructureand the growth of electric roll-out. Much of thevehicle charging infrastructure technology needed to buildas part of a clear plan on a net-zero economy alreadysystems engineering.exists, and implementing it is a matter of buildingFind out more at:a roadmap to apply it,theiet.org/energy'