Thinking about what Scotland will look like in 30 years time is a tough gig and one, it seems, that should not be entirely trusted to politicians.
The Infrastructure Commission for Scotland (ICS) was created to reach beyond the five-year plans of election cycles, to see what will be required over several decades if the country is to hit its net zero carbon emissions.
This means thinking about energy efficient buildings as well as more and smarter public transport for example.
Instead of using infrastructure to boost growth, its remit was to shift the focus on to cutting emissions and helping the economy become more inclusive of groups that tend to get left behind or not recruited for jobs.
The ICS has issued its final report, saying that the idea of a Scottish National Construction Company would not meet any of its objectives.
That was an idea gained some political traction because the public sector relies so heavily on private companies to build infrastructure.
It does so through competitive bidding and for profit, and that makes for a relationship that does not always work out well.
Building work done at minimum cost and maximum margin is not seen as being likely to result in energy-efficient buildings with long lifespans.
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Atlantis Viewpoint
Governments come and go. To fight climate change, we need to think and invest over larger timescales
