- The world’s first Buildings and Climate Global Forum on the 7-8th March, hosted by the Government of France and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), will bring together stakeholders from over 50 countries to confront the pressing need for transformative action in the buildings and construction sectors.
- This historic event is an opportunity to chart a course toward a sustainable, net-zero future by reshaping the way we design, construct, and inhabit our built environment.
Story
Buildings are central to everyday life and a foundational part of our societies and economies. However, they also stand as a significant contributor to the climate crisis, accounting for over 20% of global emissions. Despite efforts to improve energy efficiency, progress has been slow, and buildings continue to lag in meeting climate targets.
Increasingly, there is recognition that near-zero emissions, resilient buildings are essential to providing both security and prosperity for homes and businesses, whilst bolstering macroeconomic stability. Investing in buildings now will pave the way for a transition that not only benefits individuals but also reduces risk for governments and investors and offers expanded pathways towards achieving net-zero emissions and climate safety.
The Buildings and Climate Global Forum represents a critical opportunity for stakeholders to collaborate, share insights, and catalyse investment in near-zero emissions and resilient buildings. The Forum can propel efforts towards achievement of the Buildings Breakthrough which aims to establish near-zero emissions and resilient buildings as the standard by 2030. Achieving this goal requires connecting various stakeholders with global processes, while crucially advocating for unlocking the financial resources required to significantly expand the scale of near-zero emissions and resilient buildings.
The Buildings and Climate Global Forum this week needs to deliver:
- Political momentum for decarbonisation of buildings in the form of a Declaration from Buildings and Construction Ministers setting out their commitment to accelerate action and collaborate globally.
- A signal from Buildings and Construction Ministers to Finance Ministers and institutional investors that there is an urgent and viable case for driving investment into and managing the risks to fiscal stability of an inefficient and unadapted built environment.
- A strong signal from private finance and investors that they want to invest in near zero emissions and resilient buildings, acknowledging that inefficient and poorly adapted buildings run the risk of decreasing the value of their portfolios.
- A compendium of solutions already available and joined up network of stakeholders standing ready to deliver on the Buildings Breakthrough goal of near-zero and resilient buildings in 2030.
Quotes
Larissa Gross, Programme Lead at E3G said:
“Inefficient and unadapted buildings leave billions of people exposed to energy price and physical climate shocks. Done badly, buildings can sink our efforts to create an efficient and affordable world. Done well, buildings can anchor the transition, offering comfort and flexible energy demand, a safe harbour when volatile fossil fuel markets strike household and government balance sheets.”
Jurei Yada, Programme Lead at E3G said:
“There is no climate-safe or sustainable future for all if we don’t successfully decarbonise the buildings and construction sectors – it’s as simple as that. The Forum recognises these high stakes and places much-needed political attention on how we can address the risks and reap the benefits of transitioning these sectors, including by mobilising more and better private and public finance to this end.”
Roxana Dela Fiamor, Senior Researcher at E3G said:
“The Buildings and Climate Forum serves as a pivotal international platform, fostering concerted action in a sector that ranks among the top CO2 emitters and consumes the most raw materials globally. Amidst wavering EU climate ambitions, this global coming together of key stakeholders offers crucial backing to the Union for reclaiming its leadership role in climate action.”
– ENDS –
Available for comment
Larissa Gross (EN), E3G Programme Lead, (Sustainable cooling, clean heat, energy efficiency)
m: +44 (0) 7712 537874 | larissa.gross@e3g.org
Jurei Yada (EN, FR, PL, JP), E3G Programme Lead, (EU sustainable finance, ESG, EU regulations including taxonomy)
m: +32 (0)4 92 11 38 68 | jurei.yada@e3g.org
Roxana Dela Fiamor (EN, FR, ES), E3G Senior Researcher (whole-life carbon, net-zero cities)
m: +32 497 49 26 78 | roxanadela.fiamor@e3g.org
Notes to Editors
- E3G is an independent climate change think tank with a global outlook. We work on the frontier of the climate landscape, tackling the barriers and advancing the solutions to a safe climate. Our goal is to translate climate politics, economics and policies into action. About – E3G
- For further enquiries email press@e3g.org or phone +44 (0)7783 787 863
