Regulatory environment runs counter to investment

Australia’s current regulatory environment is not doing enough to encourage investment in the infrastructure assets necessary for a low carbon economy, according to a round table on sustainable infrastructure.

The round table, held this week, suggested the weak price signal on carbon foreshadowed in the Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme would not be sufficient to galvanise the investment community’s interest in funding sustainable infrastructure.

The round table was convened by the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia’s Academy and involved senior investment professionals, including superannuation funds, fund managers, asset owners and investment consultants.

The discussion paper generated by the round table has been sent to Federal Ministers in Canberra and highlights the need for a scaling up of investment in sustainable infrastructure in order to meet long-term carbon emissions reduction targets.

Commenting on the round table findings, the executive director of the ACF, Don Henry, claimed a weak carbon reduction target, such as that proposed by the Federal Government’s white paper on emissions trading, would not help spark the substantial investment in sustainable infrastructure that was needed to move Australia to a low-carbon economy.