Global building sector progress too slow to meet climate goals, UN report warns
The global buildings sector is becoming more energy efficient, but progress remains far too slow to keep climate goals within reach, a UN report author warned. Buildings account for 37% of global CO2 emissions, with floor space expanding by the equivalent of building Paris every week.
The global buildings sector is becoming more energy efficient and attracting record levels of investment, but progress remains far too slow to keep climate goals within reach, according to one of the authors of the latest Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction. "There has been measurable progress in energy intensity, renewable energy use, efficiency investments and green building certification, but the pace of transformation is still far too slow to meet the Paris Agreement goals," Merve Yilmaz, one of the report's authors, told Anadolu.
Key findings
Published by UNEP and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, the report found that buildings and construction still account for around 37% of global CO2 emissions and nearly half of all material extraction worldwide. An average of 12.7 million square meters of new floor space is added daily – equivalent to building the entire city of Paris every week. Global floor space expanded by 20% since 2015, while energy demand increased by 11% and operational emissions by 6.5%.
Policy recommendations
Yilmaz argued governments should prioritize passive design, compact urban planning, rooftop solar, and circular construction practices. She noted Türkiye has taken important steps under its 2053 net-zero target, including updated building energy codes and renewable energy investments.
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