UN Report Calls for Radical Shift in Construction to Fight Climate Change
A groundbreaking UN report, backed by the World Economic Forum, challenges the status quo of modern construction, advocating for a radical shift away from traditional materials and practices to combat climate change. The report, 'Building Materials and the Climate: Constructing a New Future', suggests a future where concrete, steel, and glass are replaced by earth, stone, and bio-based materials. This comes as U.K. FIRES, an academic collaboration funded with a £5 million state grant, calls for drastic changes in society, including a purge of traditional building supplies and significant reductions in flying, shipping, and meat consumption by 2050.
The construction sector is responsible for a staggering 37% of human-caused emissions. The UN report recommends a dramatic reduction in the use of high-emission materials like concrete, steel, and aluminum, suggesting they should only be used when absolutely necessary. Instead, it promotes a return to materials used in the mid-20th century, such as earthen, stone, and bio-based materials like mud bricks, timber, bamboo, and forest detritus. These materials are not only lower in carbon emissions but also help to sequester carbon, contributing to a 'regenerative' approach to construction.
To achieve this transition, the report suggests that governments should implement 'incentives, awareness campaigns, and legal and regulatory frameworks'. It emphasizes the need for 'far more investment' and 'regulation and synergistic enforcement' across all phases of the building life cycle. This includes not only construction but also maintenance, demolition, and waste management.
The UN report and U.K. FIRES paint a stark picture of the changes needed in the construction sector to tackle climate change. While the proposals are ambitious and would require significant societal shifts, they offer a pathway to a future where buildings not only have a minimal carbon footprint but also actively contribute to carbon sequestration. The report serves as a call to action for governments, industries, and individuals to rethink our approach to construction and consider the long-term impacts of our choices.
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