The World Green Building Council has joined nine international organisations to sign a letter to COP26 president, Alok Sharma, requesting a Built Environment Day at the climate summit in November 2021.
This move comes a few days after WorldGBC took part in the UN’s Race To Zero Dialogues, discussing how policy, finance and industry leadership can accelerate decarbonisation and ensure the resilience of built environment assets.
Cristina Gamboa, chief executive officer of the World Green Building Council, said: “It is essential to have a full day to recognise the building and construction industry at COP26. The sector accounts for nearly 40% of global energy and process-related emissions, up to 10% of global employment and around 50% of global wealth. Despite this, our sector often remains a blind spot in global climate negotiations.”
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The letter, which is addressed to Alok Sharma, COP26 president, argues that a Built Environment Day at COP26 would spotlight the sector’s unique capability to deliver powerful zero carbon solutions and serve as a rallying point for the sector’s diverse stakeholders. The day would allow the sector to collaborate with governments and policymakers and catalyse action towards ambitious targets for 2030 and beyond.
The letter was signed by:
- Martina Otto, head of secretariat at Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction
- Mark Watts, executive director at C40 Cities
- Helen Clarkson, chief executive officer at The Climate Group
- Andrew Higham, chief executive officer at MISSION 2020
- Cristina Gamboa, chief executive officer at World Green Building Council
- Peter Bakker, chief executive officer at World Business Council Sustainable Development
- Maria Mendiluce, chief executive officer at We Mean Business
- Andrew Steer, president and chief executive officer at World Resources Institute
- Julie Hirigoyen, chief executive officer at UK Green Building Council
- Marco Caffi, executive director at Green Building Council Italia.
The letter urges the COP26 organisers to recognise the central role the buildings and construction sector can play in overcoming the climate and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 by driving a green recovery and supporting a climate-resilient future.
