What makes new tools and approaches for linear infrastructure planning trustworthy?

Briefing Paper

Part 1 of this briefing provides a short overview of the different types of advanced technologies and approaches that are relevant to linear infrastructure planning.  It then identifies some current examples of how these technologies are applied in this area, potential future developments and the potential risks associated with these.   

Part 2 briefly summarises the relevant legal and regulatory requirements in terms of infrastructure planning and technologies such as advanced algorithms and AI. 

The core of the briefing is then focused on three key questions.  Part 3 examines the issue of accountability and considers what human safeguards may need to be put in place to ensure new tools and approaches for linear infrastructure planning do what they are expected to and who should be answerable to who if things go wrong. 

Part 4 explores the issue of assurance and asks what assurances different groups of stakeholders require and when considering how new tools and approaches for linear infrastructure planning work and who should provide this. 

Part 5 of the briefing examines the issue of transparency and considers what is appropriate in terms of openness for different groups of stakeholders when considering new tools and approaches for linear infrastructure planning. 

The briefing considers these questions from the perspective of five different groups of actors: tech companies; financiers and investors; project developers and utilities; regulators and policymakers; and wider stakeholder groups and communities.  It is worth noting that there may be a range of interests within each of these groups (e.g. some investors may be primarily concerned with revenue whilst others may be concerned with carbon reduction/ESG impacts).  Last, to make this manageable, the briefing is focused on digital technologies and not non-digital approaches. 

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