World Green Building Council publishes ‘Advancing Net Zero’ report.

The World Green Building Council has published a new net-zero report.

The Advancing Net Zero project aims to accelerate the uptake of net zero carbon buildings to 100 per cent in 2050, an initiative which they highlight is critical to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the midpoint of the 21st Century.

In the foreword, Christina Gamboa, CEO of the World Green Building Council, says: “Better buildings can be a huge part of the solution to improving our health, reducing global energy consumption, and eliminating reliance on fossil fuels. I invite you to be part of the solution: act for change, take climate action, and above all, act now.”

The project brings together the WorldGBC's global network of Green Building Councils (GBCs) that are actively working to develop programmes, resources and certification tools to develop market capacity towards meeting increased demand and urgency for a fossil fuel free built environment.

In September 2018, WGBC launched their Net Carbon Buildings Commitment to inspire and promote climate leadership action from businesses, governments and NGOs globally.

The Commitment challenges companies, cities, states and regions to reach net zero operating emissions in their global portfolios by 2030, and to advocate for all buildings to operate at net zero by 2050.

As of May 2019, 23 C40 city mayors have signed the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Declaration developed as part of WorldGBC’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment.

Zoe Sprigings, Programme Director, Energy and Buildings at C40, said: “By mid-century all buildings must be operating at zero carbon emissions, a radical shift from the situation today where 39% of global emissions are generated by construction and buildings. In cities, this figure is often much higher. Investors, developers and businesses will need to be prepared for the standards being put in place by city halls around the world.”

The WorldGBC is inviting everyone in the real estate sector, whether an investor, developer, owner, manufacturer, architect, designer or consultant, and representatives of national government, states and cities, to work with WGBC and their local GBCs, to ensure that all our buildings, everywhere, are net zero carbon before 2050.

Last month, the Committee on Climate Change published a new report which called for the UK to be net zero by 2050.

The report states the new net-zero target will not be credible without policy being ramped up significantly and while some targets are too ambitious, some are proceeding too slowly. 

Following the IPCC report, which found that there will be devastating consequences if we do not limit average global temperature rise to well below 2.0 degrees Celsius, global leaders have been put under pressure to deliver key policies to accelerate the transition to a zero carbon world.

The World Green Building Council will be joining Climate Action at the Climate Innovation Forum on the 3rd July in London. As part of London Climate Action Week, the Climate Innovation Forum will look to mobilise cross sector collaboration to develop and deliver innovative products, services and systems that can be scaled up on a city-wide, nation-wide and even global, level.

Join policy-makers, investors, business and sustainability leaders and NGOs from the UK and across Europe to identify new market opportunities for transitioning to a zero-carbon world, find out more here.

Read the WGBC report in full here. 

        30 May 2019