Like many other economic stakeholders, European operators of large regulated energy and transport infrastructure are committing to decarbonisation plans for their activities. Ambitions to achieve “carbon neutrality” are now being articulated, sometimes extending to the very nature and usage of these infrastructures including air travel for airports, and natural gas or electricity consumption for energy transmission and distribution networks.
However, the regulatory frameworks in place across European countries for these major infrastructures give little if any consideration to the carbon dimension, despite its being essential in enabling operators to take effective climate action.
This note outlines initial avenues for evolving the current regulatory framework governing major infrastructure in order to address the decarbonisation challenges facing the European economy.
