Evaluate UN budgets and programmes as an AI Secretary-General

Delivering integrated solutions to reduce carbon and increase resilience in buildings – Global and multi-country

Changes in the buildings and construction sector are essential to address the three planetary crises in UNEP’s 2022-2025 Medium-Term Strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals notably SDG 13, SDG 12 and SDG 11. The sector is responsible for about 40 per cent of global energy-related CO2 emissions and a major consumer of natural resources. It is a key sector for national economies and global demand for buildings is on the rise particularly in emerging and developing economies. The building and construction sector’s demand for natural resources accelerates climate change, and inefficient, unhealthy buildings negatively impact human health and wellbeing. The project builds on the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, a voluntary, international, multistakeholder partnership hosted by UNEP since its creation at COP21 in 2015. With the GlobalABC, UNEP is creating a common language and vision through transparency, inclusion and cooperation among buildings and construction stakeholders who share the aim of decarbonizing buildings. This project will sustain the GlobalABC as the nucleus of a growing, global movement. It will also strengthen UNEP’s support for sustainable buildings and construction projects in countries, and allow for further dissemination of tools, approaches and best practices for decarbonizing buildings at the global, regional, national, and local levels. The project will address three major challenges hampering the transformation towards a zero-emission, efficient, and resilient buildings and construction sector. First, the lack of collaboration and coordination between buildings and construction value chain stakeholders which leads to isolated projects. Then, the lack of ambitious national strategies and policies for the decarbonization of buildings, which in turn hampers both policy change and finance for decarbonizing buildings. Finally, the insufficient awareness, knowledge, technologies, capacities and skills in countries to decarbonize buildings along their lifecycles.