GlobalABC and WorldGBC Join Forces to Promote Sustainable Building Practices
The Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC). The collaboration is expected to advance sustainable and climate-resilient building practices worldwide, and support the building sector in achieving climate goals aligned with the Paris Agreement’s limits on global warming to 1.5°C.
The agreement, which was announced at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, focuses on driving the transition toward nearly emission-free and climate-resilient buildings by 2030. Both organizations are leveraging their extensive global networks to implement policies and solutions that address the environmental impact of the building sector, which accounts for much of the world’s carbon emissions.
GlobalABC and WorldGBC: Collaborative Action
The WorldGBC is a network of over 75 Green Building Councils from different countries in the world. Its members are businesses and organizations that believe in a sustainable built environment. GlobalABC groups together 33 members from governments, intergovernmental organizations, and private stakeholders. Its partnership is expected to pool their knowledge and resources to accelerate climate action in the building sector.
Key Projects and Tools
The organizations are already working on two critical projects: Buildings Breakthrough and Déclaration de Chaillot.
Buildings Breakthrough: This project focuses on establishing global standards for buildings that are nearly emission-free and climate-resilient by 2030.
Déclaration de Chaillot: This initiative encourages countries to adopt sustainable building practices through formal commitments.
To further support these efforts, the GlobalABC and the WorldGBC are also developing the NDC Scorecard for Sustainable Buildings, to facilitate assessing countries’ climate action plans in the building sector. The scorecard assesses alignment of national plans with the global climate targets and identifies areas for development.
National Roadmaps for Emission Reductions
The importance of national roadmaps to reduce carbon emissions in the building sector is also one of the emphases. National roadmaps are guides that show step-by-step actions for countries to transition toward sustainability practices; these key areas often include energy efficiency, material sustainability, and climate resilience.
Roadmaps are currently under development in regions including Asia, Africa, and Europe. These strategies are tailored to regional needs in order to address the specific challenges and opportunities of the countries in these areas.
Global Climate Goals for 2030
It aligns with the broader objective of limiting global warming to 1.5°C and goes by concentrating on decarbonizing the building sector. Buildings produce nearly 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions, which makes it a critical area for climate action.
The MoU signed between GlobalABC and WorldGBC brings into light the urgency of achieving net-zero emissions in the sector by 2030, both through eliminating operational emissions and making the shift toward renewable energy as well as utilizing sustainable construction practices.
Expanding Global Outreach
The combined networks of GlobalABC and WorldGBC cover a significant portion of the global building sector, representing countries that account for 62% of global GDP and 60% of the world’s building stock. This outreach will serve as the strong foundation to drive impactful change at both the policy and implementation levels.
The partnership also focuses on assisting developing countries where the demand for climate-resilient infrastructure is most critical. Focus in this regards helps ensure that sustainable building practices are accessible and equitable for regions facing unique challenges.
Progress and Challenges in Sustainable Building Practices
The partnership with GlobalABC and WorldGBC reflects the increasing recognition given to this sector in undertaking efforts toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As organizations engage in putting into place sustainable practices and developing tools such as NDC Scorecard, they are paving the way for transformative shifts in how buildings are designed, constructed, and operated.
The agreement is expected to catalyze global efforts to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, paving the way for a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.
Source: GlobalABC