Report
Building Materials and the Climate: Constructing a New Future
Published by UNEP, this report highlights the need to develop new models for decarbonizing building materials, if the world is to reach its goals for net zero emissions from the built environment sector by the mid-century.
The built environment sector is by far the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, responsible for at least 37 per cent of the global emissions. Yet it has received only a small fraction of climate-focused development funding, compared to other sectors. Until now, most of the progress in the sector has been made on reducing the “operational carbon” of a building – the emissions created from heating, cooling and lighting, which are projected to decrease from 75 per cent to 50 per cent of the sector in the next few decades. However, solutions for reducing the “embodied” carbon emissions from the design, production and deployment of building materials such as cement, steel, and aluminium have lagged far behind.
This report, published by UN Environment Programme, highlights the urgent need to develop new models for cooperation on the decarbonisation of building materials, if the world is to reach its goals for net zero emissions from the built environment sector by the mid-century. Focusing on strategies to facilitate cooperation across the sector, the report details three essential processes: avoiding extraction by emphasizing circular economy approaches; shifting to regenerative materials like timber and sustainably-sourced bricks, and improving processes to decarbonize conventional materials like steel and aluminum.
Circular Cities at the Forefront: Insights from UrbanShift's Latin America Forum
Cities can play a major role in reducing waste, improving efficiency, and spurring sustainable economic transformations. Learn how the UrbanShift Latin America Forum elevated the idea of a circular economy for cities.
How an Urban Bioeconomy can Promote Healthy Ecosystems and Spur Sustainable Economic Prosperity
In Belém, Brazil and other Latin American cities, this concept—which emphasizes circularity, renewable resources, and the development of green infrastructure—is already taking root and reshaping local economies.
China City-Business Collaboration Accelerator (CiBiX) Workshop
This workshop will accelerate public-private collaboration around waste reduction, management, and reuse in Chengdu.
UrbanShift Workshop at Ecocity World Summit: Greener, Healthier, Vibrant Neighbourhoods
This session offered an overview of implementing sustainable neighbourhood design, and overcoming challenges cities face in creating more livable communities.