Global Infrastructure Basel at COP31, Antalya

Global Infrastructure Basel (GIB) will return to the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) for its biggest participation yet at COP31, taking place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. Through six engagements, GIB will contribute to discussions on solutions to accelerate sustainable, resilient, and regenerative infrastructure. Our CEO, Louis Downing, Roger Cruz, and Nathalie Gaullier, Co-Directors of Infrastructure Quality, will be part of these discussions throughout COP31.

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• Three-Quarters Unbuilt: Decarbonising Infrastructure for 1.5°C
  9 November 2026 | 16:45–18:15 | Official UNFCCC side event
  Much of the infrastructure that will shape future emissions has yet to be built, meaning decisions made today will influence emissions for decades. Architecture 2030 will lead this session in collaboration with GIB and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The discussion will examine how infrastructure emissions can be measured and reduced in line with the 1.5°C climate goal, covering whole-life emissions measurement, carbon optimisation, and infrastructure’s role in climate action. Roger Cruz, Co-Director of Infrastructure Quality and Finance at GIB, will present the FAST-Infra Label and explain its approach to assessing sustainable and resilient infrastructure.

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• From Ambition to Investment: Developing and Financing High-Quality, Sustainable, and Resilient Infrastructure
  12 November 2026 | 14:00–15:30 | IDFC Pavilion
  Through the FAST-Infra Group, GIB will contribute to a session exploring what it takes to finance resilient infrastructure. Using a hypothetical USD 300 million upgrade of a flood-exposed urban water and drainage system, the discussion will examine resilience costs, development bank co-financing, and commercial insurance. Investors, development banks, insurers, and project sponsors will consider the data, contractual arrangements, and standards needed to commit capital, as well as how the additional costs of resilience can be shared.

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• 21st Global Forum on Human Settlements
  13 November 2026 | 13:10–14:10 | Thematic Session 1
  This forum will address urban sustainability and climate resilience, including the connected challenges of urban heat and water stress. The thematic session will explore integrated approaches to managing these risks and supporting healthier, more liveable cities. Nathalie Gaullier, Co-Director of Infrastructure Quality and Finance at GIB, will join the panel to discuss climate resilience through integrated urban heat and water resource management.

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• Resilient Cities: Aligning Subnational Action, Standards and Finance for Resilient Infrastructure
  13 November 2026 | 15:30–16:30 | COP Cities, Buildings and Cooling Pavilion
  RICS, ICLEI, and GIB will jointly organise this session to explore how cities and regions can connect climate action with infrastructure finance. Discussions will address the challenges of fragmented planning across nature, energy, buildings, and urban infrastructure, alongside the standards, bankable project pipelines, and risk-sharing mechanisms needed to mobilise investment. Public authorities, development finance institutions, private financiers, insurers, and infrastructure developers will examine ways to strengthen investment in resilient infrastructure.

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• Building and Adapting Resilient Infrastructure for a Changing Climate
  16 November 2026 | 09:30–11:00 | Pavilion France
  EDF, FAST-Infra, and GIB are co-organising this session on how infrastructure can be developed and financed to withstand climate risks. The discussion will cover climate vulnerability assessments, the resilience of interconnected infrastructure systems, and approaches to evaluating adaptation. It will also present the FAST-Infra Label, which brings together more than 100 guidelines, taxonomies, and frameworks for assessing sustainable and resilient infrastructure, alongside ACT Adaptation. Developed by ADEME and the ACT Initiative, ACT Adaptation assesses the quality and robustness of corporate climate adaptation strategies across value chains.

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• Making Electrification Viable: The Energy Transition of Last-Mile Networks
  17 November 2026 | 11:30–13:00 | Universal Postal Union (UPU) Pavilion
  This session will explore the practical and financial conditions needed to electrify last-mile delivery networks, including investment in vehicles, charging infrastructure, project preparation, and financing partnerships. Nathalie Gaullier, Co-Director of Infrastructure Quality and Finance at GIB, will join the panel to discuss the transition towards investment-ready last-mile electrification programmes, potentially drawing on Green Delivery Türkiye. Possible discussion points include risk allocation, financing partnerships, and the evidence needed to engage investors and implementation partners.

Across these engagements, GIB and FAST-Infra will contribute to discussions on the standards, partnerships, and financing approaches needed to advance sustainable, resilient, and regenerative infrastructure. These discussions will explore how infrastructure can better respond to people's needs, prepare communities for climate risks, and work in greater harmony with nature.