Should the Construction Industry Declare a Climate Emergency?
Intensifying calls urge the construction sector to recognize and act on the climate emergency for global sustainability.
The construction industry is at the forefront of the climate conversation due to its vast carbon footprint, extensive resource consumption, and central role in shaping the built environment. With global temperatures rising and the climate crisis intensifying, questions intensify: Should the construction industry openly declare a climate emergency? What would such a declaration mean for its practices, policies, and future?
The Construction Industry’s Impact on Climate Change
The construction sector contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly 39% of global annual carbon emissions. This figure encompasses both operational carbon—emissions from the ongoing use of buildings—and embodied carbon—those emitted during material production and construction processes.
- Operational Carbon: Continual emissions generated throughout a building’s lifecycle (heating, cooling, lighting, etc).
- Embodied Carbon: Emissions tied to extracting, manufacturing, transporting, and assembling building materials.
The growing pressure of urban development, infrastructure expansion, and resource use is placing Earth’s ecological boundaries under grave threat, making the construction sector a critical focus for climate action.
What Is a Climate Emergency Declaration?
A climate emergency declaration is a public acknowledgment of the urgent need to address escalating climate and biodiversity crises. For the construction industry, such declarations serve dual purposes:
- Signaling recognition of the magnitude and urgency of environmental challenges.
- Committing to concrete, immediate, and strategic action to reduce harm and spearhead sustainable transformation.
The declaration is not an end goal; it is a starting point for broad, systemic change demanding industry alignment, government cooperation, and new business models.
The Growth of the Climate Emergency Movement
Movements like Built Environment Declares and Engineers Declare have united thousands of firms and professionals globally, urging all construction sector participants to adopt emergency footing. As of 2024, over 7,000 practices have joined the movement, representing architects, engineers, contractors, and project managers.
- Global petitions—public, open calls to action—form the backbone.
- Commitments to actionable measures like circular economy principles, net-zero targets, and transparent reporting.
- International collaboration to share best practices, develop new standards, and influence policy.
Arguments for Declaring a Climate Emergency in Construction
Proponents of climate emergency declarations point to several crucial benefits:
- Raising Awareness: Declarations recognize the scale of the crisis and put climate priorities in the spotlight both within the industry and for the public.
- Driving Accountability: Committing to bold climate targets increases internal and external accountability, fostering transparency.
- Uniting the Industry: Shared statements create a unified front that can more effectively lobby policymakers and demand systemic change.
- Accelerating Innovation: Declarations unlock collaboration for transformative approaches in design, materials, and building methods.
- Meeting Regulatory Demands: Anticipating stricter climate-related regulations and helping companies stay ahead of compliance.
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What Would an Industry-Wide Declaration Mean?
An industry-wide climate emergency declaration would amount to a paradigm shift across every aspect of construction. It could catalyze:
- Integrating climate action into core business strategy—not as an optional add-on but as a fundamental operating principle.
- Redefining procurement and supply chain standards—prioritizing low-carbon and circular economy solutions.
- Boosting resilience standards—ensuring new builds and retrofits are designed for future climate risks.
- Investment in education and open-source knowledge sharing—transforming training and continuous professional development.
Table: Potential Actions After a Declaration
| Action | Impact |
|---|---|
| Adopt net-zero emission targets | Drastically reduces the sector’s carbon footprint and sets new benchmarks for global industry |
| Mandate procurement of low-carbon materials | Supports decarbonization throughout the supply chain |
| Rapid transition to circular economy models | Minimizes waste, encourages re-use, preserves natural resources |
| Implement annual public reporting | Improves transparency on progress towards sustainability targets |
The Challenge of Implementation
While the arguments for climate emergency declarations are compelling, implementation requires confronting longstanding industry barriers:
- Fragmented supply chains: Multiple stakeholders, each with varying priorities and resources, can slow unified progress.
- Short-term economic pressures: Investors and clients may prioritize quick returns over long-term sustainability.
- Regulatory complexity: Navigating differing national, regional, and international rules demands concerted alignment and proactive compliance.
- Lack of industry-wide data: Tracking and reporting emissions across all lifecycle stages is still in early development for many regions.
Current Strategies and Ongoing Efforts
Faced with mounting environmental threats and new policy requirements, many in the construction industry are taking action even prior to universal emergency declarations:
- Government frameworks: The UK’s Construction Playbook sets ambitious guidelines for decarbonization, sustainable procurement, and modern construction methods.
- Reporting obligations: Regulatory changes, like the UK’s SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting) and TCFD (Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures), require detailed emissions and climate risk disclosures for major companies.
- Coalitions and initiatives: Climate Commitment Platforms by organizations such as the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) provide mapping and benchmarking of progress among industry members.
- Pilot projects and flagship builds: Cities and companies are pushing for net-zero and carbon-negative demonstration projects by 2025, as called for in the C40 Clean Construction Declaration.
The Need for a Paradigm Shift
Achievement of genuine sustainability will require more than incremental change—it demands a full paradigm shift in industry norms and attitudes:
- Accepting that buildings, cities, and infrastructure must be designed as regenerative and self-sustaining systems, working within Earth’s limits.
- Embracing holistic thinking: Each construction project must be seen as an indivisible component of larger ecological and societal networks.
- Pursuing transformation through open-source knowledge, international cooperation, and committed action at every scale.
How Should the Declaration Be Framed?
For optimal impact, a construction industry climate emergency declaration should:
- Clearly acknowledge the crisis of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss.
- Set science-based targets for operational and embodied carbon reductions.
- Commit to annual, transparent progress reporting on goals and initiatives.
- Promote collaboration across disciplines and borders to share best practices and knowledge.
- Advocate for governments to prioritize policies and incentives for sustainable development.
Pathways to a Sustainable Built Environment
Translating declarations into real-world outcomes involves multiple levers:
- Legislative and Policy Change: Push for stronger regulations and incentives for low-carbon design, construction, and operation.
- Market Transformation: Mobilize clients, investors, and supply chains towards sustainability commitments.
- Capacity Building: Invest in professional education to equip industry leaders with the knowledge to prioritize climate resilience.
- Technological Innovation: Accelerate adoption of sustainable materials, circular design, modular construction, and integrated renewable energy strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What does it mean for the construction industry to declare a climate emergency?
A: It means publicly recognizing the urgency of the climate and biodiversity crises and making a formal, public commitment to immediate, science-based action on emissions, material use, and environmental practices.
Q: Would this be more than a symbolic gesture?
A: A credible declaration commits organizations and the industry to measurable action—annual progress reporting, policy advocacy, procurement reform, and deep sector-wide decarbonization built into contracts and procurement.
Q: Who’s already declared an emergency?
A: Movements such as Built Environment Declares and Engineers Declare have been joined by thousands of firms worldwide; several national and local governments have made similar declarations. Major industry groups now map climate commitments among their members.
Q: What are the biggest barriers?
A: The main challenges include fragmented supply chains, short-term economic pressures, complex regulatory environments, and the need for better emissions-tracking infrastructure.
Q: What actions will follow a declaration?
A: Prioritized actions include setting net-zero targets, shifting procurement practices, developing net-zero and circular economy projects, mandatory climate-risk reporting, and continuous professional education on sustainability.
Conclusion: Act Now or Face Consequences
The coming years will be decisive for the built environment sector. Declaring a climate emergency, if matched by ambitious and transparent action, could transform the construction industry from a driver of emissions to a leader in the global sustainability movement. Now is the time for united intent, unwavering action, and far-reaching innovation.
References
- https://www.clydeco.com/en/insights/2024/05/climate-change-and-the-construction-industry
- https://www.builtenvironmentdeclares.com
- https://www.engineersdeclare.com
- https://www.c40.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/C40-Clean-Construction-Declaration-English.pdf
- https://www.aon.com/en/insights/articles/how-the-construction-industry-is-navigating-climate-change
- https://wholelifecarbon.com/article/council-rescinds-climate-change-emergency-declaration
- https://www.istructe.org/resources/climate-emergency/
- https://qualisflow.com/contractors-declare-climate-emergency/
- https://www.portland.gov/bps/climate-action/climate-emergency/about-climate-emergency-declaration
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