Foundations 19 – Infrastructure Space

Arab Hoballah found Rolf Soiron’s gigantic figures all the more important as a reality check. “Many people who are working on design and modeling hate to think about money – because it hinders their work,” said the architect with disarming honesty. In his 30 years of experience he has established three principles: “Everybody is right, and everybody is wrong – which means that you have to consider all possible aspects before you do some- thing. Get away from semantics or you lose yourself in definitions. And be as practical as possible in bringing society and economy together.” In recent decades, we have basically learned nothing about sustainability. On the whole, we are still operating in the mode of business as usual. Every individual and society as a whole must place much more value on efficiency. “Because a lot of the 90 trillion dollars can come from being efficient rather than from additional funding,” assured Arab Hoballah. The moderator invited the audience to direct questions to the pan- el. Maria Atkinson took up the question of who stands to benefit from future investments. At a small scale, the question can be re- solved cooperatively and with ease. If the task is to provide Detroit with an adequate sewer system, then there are plenty of funding mechanisms available. And those who would benefit the most are in fact e.g. the individuals who would have to pay no additional sewage fees. Investment in infrastructure requires patient capital that doesn’t demand immediate return. The investors are general- ly not the ones who decide on the parameters of the infrastructure being installed. “The important thing is that we at the planning level determine what infrastructure has what kinds of impacts, so the right decision can be made.” Arab Hoballah raised the question of what kind of investments are being discussed. “If it’s business as usual, we know who is going to profit.” But at the Forum we «

Arab Hoballah is Chief of Sustainable Lifestyles, Cities & Industry in the Division of Technology, Industry & Economics (DTIE) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

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Many people who are working on design and modeling hate to think about money – because it hinders their work.

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