Impact - COP26 - What can we expect?

The UN Climate Change Conference UK 2021 discuss these days how to Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach. Countries are being asked to come forward with ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century. To deliver on these stretching targets, countries will need to: accelerate the phase-out of coal, curtail deforestation, speed up the switch to electric vehicles and  encourage investment in renewables. COP26 also wants to Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats. The climate is already changing and it will continue to change even as we reduce emissions, with devastating effects. At COP26 they work together to enable and encourage countries affected by climate change to: protect and restore ecosystems, build defences, warning systems and resilient infrastructure and agriculture to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and even lives. And they want to  Mobilise finance. To deliver on their first two goals, developed countries must make good on their promise to mobilise at least $100bn in climate finance per year by 2020. International financial institutions must play their part and we need work towards unleashing the trillions in private and public sector finance required to secure global net zero. The biggest goal is to  Work together to deliver. At COP 26 they want to finalise the Paris Rulebook (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational) and accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society.

For the build environment we know that the way we create and operate buildings must change if the world is to meet its net zero objectives by 2050. The built environment accounts for nearly 40% of emissions globally: around 30% from heating, cooling and operating buildings and 10% from the materials and products used in their construction and maintenance.

There is no way to remove these emissions overnight, no silver bullet technology that can simply wipe them away. Instead, we need to look carefully at each individual building and make choices that are not just about financial gain but environmental gain too. Carbon is rapidly becoming a new currency and the most sustainable buildings bring additional rewards in terms of economic value and enhanced reputation.

In this session we will report what decisions are made at COP 26 and what we can expect in several areas in the real estate business – from planning to construction, from use to renovation and last but not least from data collection to reporting.