Help shape PAS 3090, the standard on adaptation pathways for infrastructure systems

We're witnessing the effects of a changing climate more and more every day.

From mass floods destroying people's homes to extreme heat causing vital infrastructure to melt down, it's clear that we can't rely on what the weather used to be like.

But it's also impossible to prepare infrastructure for every single climate scenario that may or may not come to pass.

Attempting it could result in overdesign, which would not only be expensive financially, but lead to unnecessary carbon emissions, too.

That's where adaptation pathways come in.

Read more: how should engineers approach climate adaptation?

What are climate adaptation pathways?

Adaptation pathways help to identify the trigger points at which climate conditions breach certain thresholds where infrastructure services would become ineffective or redundant.

This approach recognises that a range of adaptation measures may need to be applied over time, in response to the changing conditions.

Importantly, it mitigates the risk of over or under investing in adaptation at any one time.

By keeping climate, technology, socioeconomic and political factors in mind, it also helps to de-risk investments.

And, it encourages project partners to collaborate from the start.

Introducing PAS 3090 - adaptation to climate change - adaptation pathways for infrastructure systems

A new publicly available specification (PAS), expected mid-2027, will help guide the industry on how to use these pathways.

Its aim is to provide a flexible approach to climate adaptation planning and enable practitioners to make long-term decisions under uncertain scenarios.

It will integrate with other standards, such as BS 8631 on using adaptation pathways for decision making, BS EN ISO 14090 on the principles, requirements and guidelines for adapting to climate change, and PAS 2080 on carbon management.

In doing so, PAS 3090 will help different sectors align on climate adaptation.

What will PAS 3090 cover?

This PAS will provide:

• A framework for climate adaptation decision-making under uncertainty
• Guidance on embedding pathways into planning and governance
• Clarity on roles, responsibilities, metrics and key data
• Methods for using climate scenarios and assessing impacts
• Approaches to address design life constraints in codes
• Ways to identify co-benefits with decarbonisation and sustainability
• Tools for flexibility, thresholds, nature-based solutions and business cases

It will be applicable across all infrastructure systems and project life-cycle stages.

Who is PAS 3090 for?

This PAS will be useful for planners, engineers, designers, asset managers and climate specialists across all infrastructure sectors.

It will also be relevant for sustainability and adaptation professionals, government decision-makers and built environment practitioners.

Who is developing PAS 3090?

The development of PAS 3090 is owned by the British Standards Institution (BSI).

It's sponsored by the ICE, with support from funders and expert stakeholders across the industry and academia.

As sponsor, the ICE will:

• Align the PAS with the institution's five-year strategy
• Ensure the PAS reflects the needs of infrastructure professionals and stakeholders
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement through expert panels and forums
• Encourage the sector to adopt climate adaptation through engagement, professional development and the guidance document that will come alongside the PAS publication

Technical author

The BSI has appointed John Dora, a director at adaptation consultancy, Climate Sense, as the technical author for this specification.

Steering group

Through consultation with the ICE, the BSI selected expert stakeholders to join the PAS' steering group.

The group is made up of representatives from government, academia, industry and asset owners.

It's responsible for providing technical insights and comments as well as reviewing and approving drafts of the PAS document during each stage of development.

Technical advisory panel (TAP)

Set up and convened by the ICE, this panel is made up of technical experts and funder representatives. It serves as a conduit to the wider stakeholder community.

This TAP is chaired by Adrian Johnson, executive technical director at Stantec, and Alison Walker, climate change manager at HS2.

Panel members provide intermediate reviews of the draft document before it goes to the steering group. Final editorial authority remains with the steering group.

This panel is also responsible for assisting the technical author with developing the ICE guidance document.

This associated document will expand on specific topics and provide case study examples of when the approach has been used in real-life projects.

Public consultation

The PAS 3090 document is now available on the BSI’s Standards Development Portal for electronic review and public consultation. 

The BSI Review Panel - made up of a wider group of 100+ industry stakeholders - will also provide feedback.

The consultation will close on 10 December. Afterwards, comments will be reviewed and resolved by the technical author and the BSI Steering Group.

What stage of development is it in?

PAS 3090 development is following the milestones set by the BSI.

The process was kicked off in February 2025 with the BSI Project Initiation Meeting.

It's currently in phase two: consensus building, which seeks to achieve general acceptance of the standard and ensure that the interests of all stakeholders are considered.

Publication is expected in June 2027.

The guidance document

Alongside PAS 3090, the ICE is developing a supporting guidance document to help organisations apply the standard in practice.

The ICE has appointed John Dora, the technical author of PAS 3090, to develop the guidance with input from the TAP. 

The guidance won't introduce any new requirements. Instead, it will act as a practical companion to the PAS, helping users understand how its requirements can be implemented across different infrastructure sectors and project types.

The guidance is expected to cover rapid adaptation pathways assessments (RAPA) and adaptation economics, including the valuation of nature-based solutions. 

It will provide practical examples of how the PAS can be applied by asset owners, operators, designers, contractors and suppliers, supported by case studies from across infrastructure sectors.

Publication is planned alongside PAS 3090 in June 2027.

PAS 3090 funding partners

• Arup
• Autodesk
• Department for Transport, UK government
• Environment Agency, UK government
• HS2 Ltd
• Jacobs
• Mott MacDonald
• Stantec
• Transport for London
• University of Birmingham
• WSP

Related events

An April 2022 strategy session delved into how engineers can build resilience into their work in the face of increasing climate threats.

The South East Asia instalment of the 14th Brunel International Lecture Series explored the challenges the region must address, including higher sea level rise and growing urban migration.