Road infrastructure is pivotal to global connectivity and economic growth, yet it faces escalating environmental pressures. With road construction and operation accounting for 15% of global CO2 emissions, the urgency to embed sustainable practices across the project lifecycle is clear.
Traditional approaches often treat environmental considerations as an afterthought, leading to higher long-term costs, regulatory non-compliance and increased risk of climate-related disruptions. However, emerging tools and practices are bridging this gap, enabling planners and operators to embed essential safeguards from the early planning stages.
As a case in point, FIDIC's Carbon Management Framework (CMF) provides a structured approach to measuring, reducing, and reporting whole-life carbon emissions across infrastructure projects. It empowers engineers, contractors, and the wiser road construction supply chain with standardised methodologies, from scoping emissions to integrating carbon clauses in contracts, fostering a global standard for net-zero aligned delivery.
Participants will also learn how road operators are applying resilient and low-carbon principles once a road is in operation, including through the use of climate-risk assessments, performance monitoring, and adaptive maintenance strategies designed to minimise carbon footprint and anticipate climate-related disruptions.
Presented jointed by the International Road Federation (IRF) and the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), this session will demystify the transition from theoretical sustainability goals to practical implementation, showcasing how to transform roads into resilient, low-carbon assets.
France is the ESG director of the Consulting and Operation Branch of Egis. This Business Line includes all the O&M activities of the group. Egis operates more than 7 000km of road, 21 airports, one metro and a few Digital Mobility Solutions. At her position, she first designed the ESG strategy for the O&M service line and now focuses on its implementation worldwide.
She has 12 years of experience in sustainability and a strong expertise in carbon and climate resilience. Before this position, she worked as a consultant, in 3 different companies and two countries (France and China). France holds two master’s degrees, including one in Sustainable Management in Urban Planning, Real Estate and Transportation.
Her conviction: ESG is a key driver for the sector. It should not be seen only as “reporting” requirement, but as a real business opportunity, that lead to long-term success.
Basma is an economist and Certified ESG Analyst with over 14 years of experience advancing sustainability, climate and ESG strategies across global infrastructure and transport systems. Drawing on a decade of experience in the shipping sector, she brings a strong understanding of global supply chains and the link between transport, infrastructure and sustainable development. She specialises in green economy and sustainability transitions.
As Head of Policy, ESG & Sustainability at FIDIC, Basma leads the organisation’s global advocacy and thought leadership to embed decarbonisation, resilience and social value into infrastructure delivery. She serves as Project Manager for FIDIC’s Carbon Management Framework, a flagship initiative that integrates whole-life carbon management into infrastructure projects.
She also contributed to the development of the Nature-Positive Infrastructure Playbook, a joint FIDIC–WWF initiative providing guidance on integrating biodiversity and nature-positive principles into infrastructure planning and delivery.
Basma regularly represents FIDIC at international forums, where she works to advance collaborative, future-ready approaches to sustainable and inclusive infrastructure. She holds a Master’s in Economics from the American University in Cairo.
Elina Kalliala serves as the Global Sustainability Director for Ramboll Transport, where she drives the sustainability strategy across the global infrastructure and mobility sector, which consists of 4,000 employees. In this role, she leads the sustainable transformation, ensuring Ramboll Transport actively applies and contributes to the development of a holistic and regenerative sustainability perspective within the infrastructure sector.
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Mrs. Kalliala has experience of more than 100 projects as a project manager, landscape architect, and sustainability expert.
Mrs. Kalliala has a broad experience that encompasses strategies, guidelines, impact assessments, regional and city-level planning, as well as detailed construction planning. Her portfolio features initiatives focused on developing and implementing sustainability-related solutions, tools, and methods. Her skill set spans a variety of project types, supporting the innovation and implementation of sustainable practices.
Brendan is a senior-level transport infrastructure & sustainable mobility specialist with 24 years of project and programme management experience acquired with international and intergovernmental organisations in Europe and North America.
He is an effective analyst and communicator with proven editorial and stakeholder engagement skills backed by track record of policy insights across the road mobility value chain.
Spencer Rigler leads commercial and market development for TRL’s road asset management and road crash data solutions across Europe and international markets. Over more than six years with TRL, he has played a central role in expanding the organisation’s global footprint, with a particular focus on establishing longterm partnerships and delivering complex programmes in Africa, Asia, and Europe. His work has contributed to the successful implementation of nationallevel initiatives, including the Bangladesh National Road Safety Programme, the development of Zambian and Kenyan national road sector manuals and standards, and the deployment of road and asset management systems in Malta.
Spencer’s responsibilities span strategic market development, stakeholder engagement, and the commercial oversight of projects that support safer, more efficient, and more sustainable road networks. He works closely with government agencies, highway authorities, and development partners to ensure that TRL’s datadriven tools and evidencebased methodologies are effectively aligned with national and regional transport priorities.
Before joining TRL, Spencer built a diverse career across the technology and energy sectors. He worked in the energy industry on softwarebased solutions designed to improve efficiency at both the point of energy demand and generation, gaining experience in digital platforms and operational optimisation. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Nokia in Asia and Europe, where he managed teams in project delivery, service management, and sales, contributing to major telecommunications programmes and customer operations.
Today, Spencer’s work is centred on helping transport authorities and ministries utilise data, software, and structured processes to improve decisionmaking, enhance asset performance, and deliver greater value across the road sector. His career reflects a consistent commitment to applying technology, evidence, and collaboration to strengthen transport systems and support safer, more resilient infrastructure worldwide.
