This month the New Civil Engineer editorial team once again discuss the hot topics in civil engineering, including many government reports being released following purdah and the impact of the recent elections on infrastructure. Later, features editor Nadine Buddoo and reporter Catherine Kennedy are joined by two guests from Mott MacDonald, also authors of the recent report by the Net Zero Infrastructure Industry Coalition called 'A place-based approach to net zero.' Clare Wildfire is Mott MacDonald’s global practice lead for cities. She combines her 30-year experience as a low-energy engineer with her experience at neighbourhood and city scale to provide insight into the technical, political, financial and behavioural aspects of sustainable development and healthy, resilient, low carbon living. Luke Strickland is Mott MacDonald’s global practice leader for environmental assessment and leads a broad consultancy team in the Midlands. With a mixed background of environment and engineering, he is passionate about the environment we live in and seeks to achieve ambitious sustainable outcomes across our urban infrastructure. Together they explain what the report is and what it focuses on, and the general results. Nadine and Catherine ask what key changes in central government policy they would like to see to support local authorities in meeting their net zero objectives, and pry more into understanding what a 'system of systems' approach to city infrastructure might look like as one of the report's findings. The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure. Find out more http://www.bentley.com