Deep collaboration like never before
The Cities, Regions and Built Environment Day (CRBE Day) at COP26 brought together leaders from the private and public sectors to accelerate climate ambition for the built environment. On this day, we saw the announcement of 26 climate action initiatives from across the built environment system. The Building to COP Coalition powered more than 130 events across the two-week official and unofficial programmes of COP26, as well as the inspiring plenary events on 11 November 2021.
Together with the UN High Level Climate Champions and the UK Government, the Coalition developed the two Presidency Events — Accelerating Deep Collaboration and Ministers and Mayors on buildings as a critical climate solution — and the MPGCA programming, which brought frontrunner party and non-party actors together to focus on the collaboration needed to advance the sector further and faster.
Participants in the event were:
Ministers including Chile, Colombia, Finland, Tunisia, and UK
Mayors and City Leaders including Austin, Mexico City, Tshwane, Bristol, Turku, Renca, Oslo, and Istanbul
Regional Leaders including Maharashtra, Hawaii, Scotland, Casablanca Settat, and Minas Gerais
CEOs and Industry Leaders including Africa Finance Corporation Capital, Arup, City Developments Ltd, Gensler, Hitachi, Lendlease, Macquarie, SACYR, Skanska, and SwissRE
Hundreds of leaders from Civil Society, Global NGOs and International Organisations
Following the success of Cities, Regions & Built Environment Day at COP26, we are #BuildingToCOP27.
Convening a powerful coalition of stakeholders, the monthly sessions elevate the built environment as a critical climate solution ahead of COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Despite this, under $3 of every $100 spent on new construction goes to efficient buildings. Out of the 186 countries that have submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 136 countries mention buildings, 53 countries mention building energy efficiency, and 38 specifically call out building energy codes. Most countries do not include full building decarbonisation targets and certain areas such as building materials are under addressed.
Businesses and sub-national governments are urged to join the Race to Zero.
All countries include full building decarbonisation targets, concrete policies and measures and related implementation mechanisms in their NDCs.
1,000 cities and at least 20% of the largest built environment businesses by revenue committed to the UN’s Race to Zero.
The sector’s stakeholders unite behind a single voice and ambition towards shared goals: By 2030, 100% of new buildings must be net-zero carbon in operation and embodied carbon must be reduced by at least 40%, and by 2050, all new and existing assets must be net zero across the whole life cycle (see UNFCCC Human Settlements Pathway).
We can’t win the Race to Zero without winning the Race to Resilience as well. Climate breakdown and the pandemic multiply inequalities — social, environmental and economic gaps are widening across nations and across the Global North and South.
By 2030, we must catalyse action by non-state actors that builds the resilience of four billion people from groups and communities who are vulnerable to climate risks.
Representing nearly 40% of global energy-related emissions and 50% of extracted materials, decarbonising the built environment can rapidly accelerate climate action. The initiatives and accomplishments highlighted at COP26’s Cities, Regions and Built Environment Day are a launchpad for further climate leadership across the built environment system.
With buildings contributing around 40% of global energy-related emissions, the #BuildingToCOP26 Coalition was instrumental in bringing together national, regional and city-level leaders, alongside the private sector, to showcase the buildings sector critical role in achieving a 1.5℃ degree world and a resilient future, and the deep collaboration needed to accelerate climate action.
Businesses and sub-national governments are urged to join the Race to Zero. Learn more:
Cities are urged to join the Cities Race to Zero, as major policy enablers and owners of real estate who can go further, faster.
The Race to Resilience is catalysing a step-change in global ambition for climate resilience, putting people and nature first in pursuit of a resilient world where we don’t just survive climate shocks and stresses but thrive in spite of them.
We need to run these races together, at the same time — and win them both.
We urge countries to include decarbonisation targets for the entire building system / whole value chain, concrete policies and measures and related implementation mechanisms in their NDCs.
The Global Alliance for Building and Construction is working with its country members and beyond on a commitment ‘Buildings as Critical Climate Solution (BCCS)’ that will advance building sector measures at national level, creating the appropriate enabling environment towards a zero-emission, efficient and resilient buildings and construction sector.
The Virtual Pavilion is a coalition of 100+ partners across the built environment sector working together to give the sector a strong voice at COP26. The Virtual Pavilion will enable widespread access and engagement with COP26 to complement activities happening in person, and provide an online legacy that will last far beyond November.
For more information contact COP26@ukgbc.org
The Inflation Reduction Act passed by the U.S. Senate will drive massive reductions in GHG and energy costs of homes and buildings across the U.S.
Partners and experts, from the urban and the climate communities discussed concepts and mechanisms to reach more sustainable cities in the Sustainable Cities Initiative Workshop, hosted by the COP27 Presidency of Egypt in collaboration with The United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
France is committed to championing the development of a Buildings Breakthrough as part of the Breakthrough Agenda.
#BuildingToCOP27
#AdvancingNetZero #BuildingToCOP27 #NZCBCommitment #WorldGBC20 #RaceToZero
This World Green Building Week, we're #BuildingforEveryone and putting people back at the heart of the built environment.
Find out how you can join: https://bit.ly/3bKrzME
Register your event: https://bit.ly/3pagMhN
#BuildingtoCOP27 #BuildingLife
This election, take a stand. 🇰🇪
Let us vote in peace and resume #ClimateAction
#BuildingtoCOP27
The Building To COP Coalition is a group of organisations catalysing climate action in cities, regions and the built environment. We work closely with the UN High Level Climate Champions.
COALITION MEMBERS
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UN HIGH LEVEL CLIMATE CHAMPIONS
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